China, Nigeria pledge to further promote strategic relations

China and Nigeria has pledged to further promote their strategic partnership during the state visit of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

To further deepen the two countries' friendship and reciprocal cooperation is in the long-term interests of the two countries and peoples, and conducive to the peace, stability and development of Africa and the world, said Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his talks with Buhari at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday.

Xi said the two sides should maintain high-level engagement, increase exchanges in all areas, give each other understanding and support on issues of their core interests and major concern, and strengthen strategic mutual trust.

China is ready to expand bilateral cooperation in such areas as agriculture, fisheries, oil refining, mineral exploitation, mechatronics, light industry, textile and processing. China is also willing to help Nigeria solve the bottleneck of infrastructure, professionals and funds in developing industry and modern agriculture, Xi said.

He called on the two countries to increase cooperation in the areas of culture, education, media, youth and women. Xi said China will support Nigeria playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs, and strengthen communication and coordination on major issues such as the peace and stability of Africa, climate change, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Xi also pledged to give more support to Africa's development. He said China will implement the outcome of the latest Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit held in Johannesburg last December to give more assistance to Africa to realize reciprocity and common development.

Buhari thanked China for its long-term assistance to Nigeria's infrastructure construction.

He said the Johannesburg summit injected new vitality into Africa-China relations and brought more opportunities for Nigeria-China cooperation. Nigeria was willing to implement cooperation deals already reached with China, strengthen cooperation in areas including agriculture, mining, infrastructure and human resources. Nigeria will also strengthen coordination with China on international affairs.

After the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of several deals of cooperation in infrastructure, production capacity, investment, aviation, technology and finance.

Buhari is on his first state visit to China from Monday to Friday at the invitation of Xi. He will also visit Shanghai, an economic hub in east China, and Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. Endit