On the afternoon of September 3rd, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Nigerian President Tinubu at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, who was attending the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation and making a state visit to China. The two heads of state announced the upgrading of China Nepal relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Xi Jinping pointed out that Nigeria is a major African country with significant influence, possessing a huge population size and development potential. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than half a century ago, China and Nepal have always respected and treated each other equally, and have embarked on a path of unity, self-improvement, and win-win cooperation. In recent years, the two countries have jointly implemented a large number of exemplary and strategic cooperation projects within the framework of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation. China is further comprehensively deepening reform and promoting Chinese path to modernization, which will bring more opportunities for the development of China Nepal relations. Both sides should work together with high-quality cooperation to achieve modernization and promote new and greater development of China Nepal relations.
Xi Jinping emphasized that both sides should enhance strategic mutual trust, adhere to viewing and developing bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, and firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. We need to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, form a pragmatic cooperation pattern of complementary advantages and mutual benefit, promote the coordinated and integrated development of infrastructure, energy and mineral resources with industries, and create new growth points for cooperation in digital economy, new energy and other fields. I hope the Nepalese side can protect the safety of Chinese personnel and projects in Nepal. We need to strengthen cultural exchanges and enhance mutual understanding. China supports Nepal in combating terrorism, maintaining regional stability, and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs. We are willing to strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation with Nepal to jointly safeguard the interests of developing countries.
Xi Jinping pointed out that the Forum on China Africa Cooperation is not only an effective mechanism for promoting pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa, but also a banner for South South cooperation. China is willing to take the Beijing Summit as an opportunity to summarize the historical experience of China Africa friendship, promote the construction of a high-level China Africa community with a shared future, and inject new momentum into the development of China Africa relations in the new era.
Tinubu expressed his pleasure in visiting the beautiful China and thanked the Chinese side for their warm hospitality. The relationship between Nepal and China has lasted for more than half a century, and the cooperation between the two sides has promoted the economic development of Nepal. I fully agree with President Xi Jinping's evaluation of Nepal China relations. Nigeria has a large young population and enormous development potential. China has made great achievements in reform and opening up, and Nigeria is also promoting reform and opening up. Deepening economic cooperation and developing a comprehensive strategic partnership between Nigeria and China are very important for Nigeria's future development. Nigeria hopes to become China's largest trade and investment partner in Africa, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Nigeria, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture, manufacturing, mineral energy, infrastructure and other fields, and help Nigeria and West Africa modernize and effectively overcome poverty. Nigeria is willing to provide good security conditions for this. Thank you for providing important training opportunities for young people in Nigeria, and we are willing to deepen cultural exchanges with China. Nepal firmly adheres to the One China policy and is willing to continue to firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests. Nigeria looks forward to close communication and cooperation with China to promote the success of the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of jointly building the "the Belt and Road" cooperation plan, promoting the implementation of global development initiatives, economic development, the application of Beidou satellite navigation system, peanut export to China, and news media.
Both sides issued a joint statement between the People's Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership and building a high-level China Nigeria community with a shared future.
Before the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcoming ceremony for Tinubu in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People.
Wang Yi participated in the above-mentioned activities.