President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and President Xi Jinping of China have signed a series of new agreements aimed at deepening the partnership between their countries. During Tinubu’s official visit to Beijing, the two leaders announced the elevation of Nigeria-China relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with a focus on building a high-level community with a shared future.
This visit, which comes ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), saw both nations committing to several key agreements, including:
- A cooperation plan to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative.
- An MoU on the peaceful application of nuclear energy.
- An MoU on enhancing cooperation in human resource development under the Global Development Initiative.
- An MoU on media exchange and cooperation.
- An MoU between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority.
President Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to economic reforms and the potential for growth, likening his reform agenda to the transformative policies implemented by President Xi in China. Both leaders highlighted the long-standing mutual understanding between their nations, which have maintained diplomatic ties for over 50 years, and underscored the importance of strengthening strategic coordination to foster development in the West African sub-region and beyond.
President Xi expressed confidence that the reinforced partnership between China and Nigeria would not only benefit their countries but also serve as a model for China-Africa relations and cooperation among Global South nations.
