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The Deputy Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Lin Jing, has urged the Nigerian government to take advantage of the forthcoming 2018 Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to enhance its social, economic and infrastructural development.
Jing gave this urge during a workshop on how Nigeria can optimally engage China for more purposeful outcomes, organized by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in conjunction with the Centre for China Studies (CCS) in Abuja on Monday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that of the Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Power Works and Housing had representation at the workshop.
Jing noted that the September 2018 summit billed for Beijing, China is focused on China-Africa friendly cooperation, plan for a blueprint for a strategic win-win situation and to promote South-South cooperation, adding that FOCAC has become a pacesetter in China-Africa relations.
“Since the establishment of FOCAC, China-Africa cooperation has been put on a fast track and yielded many tangible results, two-way trade and China’s total non-financial investment in Africa in 2017 were17 times and around 100 times that of 2000 respectively, which shows China’s contribution to Africa’s economic development has risen significantly.
“FOCAC has become a pacesetter in China-Africa cooperation, a champion for greater international attention to and input in Africa, and the largest and most effective South-South cooperation platform in the world, he said.
Jing also informed that the much needed Lagos-Ibadan Railway will soon be completed with Abuja Light Rail nearing completion to the tune of 99 percent.
He said “we are encouraged to see increasing Chinese investors flooding into the country to boost manufacturing” noting that the rail projects have been connecting people and their livelihood.
“Nigeria is a pacesetter of China-Africa cooperation. Through joint efforts between our two sides, the political mutual trust between our two countries has been enhanced, economic ties forged closer and mutual understanding between our two peoples deepened further.
“We are delighted to see Abuja-Kaduna railway operating safely around two years and Lagos-Ibadan Railway to be completed soon. The first phase of Abuja Light Rail, which is just behind the Ministry, is 99 percent completed and ready for operation. Such major projects cooperated by our two countries are improving connectivity of Nigeria and its people’s livelihood.
“Moreover, we are encouraged to see increasing Chinese investors flooding to Nigeria to boost manufacturing here” the Chinese envoy added.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Olajide Olawale in her remarks earlier, recounted Nigeria’s diplomatic history with China dating back to 1971 when both countries established formal pact that has brought a lot of socio-economic and infrastructural development to both countries.
Olawale, who was represented by the Director of International Cooperation in the ministry, Elizabeth Akpana Egharevba, noted that the “relationship between the two countries operates at two levels, which are bilateral cooperation between the two countries that is mostly driven by the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement of 1971, while the second level is the FOCAC.”
The Director, Centre for China Studies (CCS), Charles Onunaiju, while delivering his remarks, said the workshop was motivated by the historic significance of the September summit of the FOCAC in Beijing. He averred that FOCAC was founded in 2000 at a time China and Africa were building up from the traditional solidarity to robust and practical engagement of economic cooperation and political consultation.
Onunaiju pointed out that the relationship had morphed into a framework of strategic opportunities for both sides adding that FOCAC has assisted African countries especially Nigeria to enhance infrastructural development.
He urged the federal government to leverage the membership of the Asia Investment and Infrastructure Bank (AIIB) to address its infrastructure deficit especially within the expanded framework of the “Belt and Roads” initiative.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
