By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Thursday, where he pledged his country’s commitment to building a more resilient relationship with Beijing.
The visit is part of Yi’s four-nation tour of Africa, which has already included stops in Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Chad since January 5, in line with his office’s tradition of visiting Africa.
The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers aims to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and China, while also fostering cooperation in key areas such as trade and investment, health, technology, and infrastructure development.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu had visited China in September 2024, where four Memoranda of Understandings were signed, which, according to Ambassador Tuggar, are at various stages of implementation.
Yi mentioned that this visit, his first foreign trip of the year, provides an opportunity to continue the discussions held at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit last year, emphasising China’s commitment to enhancing its partnership with Nigeria.
During his visit, the Chinese Foreign Minister is scheduled to hold high-level talks with government officials, addressing pressing global issues, regional security, and economic development.
At the FOCAC Beijing Summit last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed elevating bilateral relations between China and all African countries, aiming to enhance diplomatic ties with China to a strategic level.
He also suggested that China-Africa relations be characterised as an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era.
