The Chinese Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Sr. Col Liu Yongxuan has said that his country has signed a N5.5 billion agreement on military aid to Nigeria in the last two years, stressing that China is ready to work with Nigerian new government to improve the strategic partnership to a higher level.
Yongxuan said this on Monday while making his remarks during the event organized to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the founding of Chinese Armed Forces, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). He added that for more than ninety years, the PLA has been a strong pillar in safeguarding China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests, an upholder of world peace and human progress.
He said further that China has always been a reliable and sincere partner for Nigeria, pointing out that in recent years, the military exchange and pragmatic cooperation between China and Nigeria has been very fruitful.
“Since I come here as Defence Attaché in 2017, we have signed two agreements of military aid to Nigeria, totalling 5.5 billion Naira. We are sending more and more Nigerian officers to China for military and security training,” he said.
He noted that with the steady progress of Belt and road Initiative, and under the principle of Mutual Assistance, China will reaffirm its support to Nigeria in capacity building in areas of national defence, counter terrorism and counterinsurgency. Yongxuan added that the military and security cooperation between the two countries would be further strengthened.
“I strongly believe that China and Nigeria will build a stronger and closer community with a shared future and become a model of new type of international relations,” he said.
He noted that the Chinese military guided by President Xi Jinping’s thinking on strengthening the military, has entered a new era, and would be fully transformed into world-class forces by the mid of this century. Additionally, he said it would be more confident and more capable to fulfil the missions and tasks in the new era.
Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar, in his remarks, said that the Chinese have been of immense assistance to Nigeria in the area of equipment, training and capacity building, adding that both countries would continue to work together for the mutual benefits.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
