Nigeria Reaffirms One-China Principle, Seeks Stronger Economic Ties with Guangxi Province

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Nigerian government has reiterated its commitment to the One-China principle while pushing for deeper economic cooperation with China, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture.

Director General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, gave the assurance in Abuja on Wednesday when he hosted a high-level delegation from the Guangxi People’s Congress of China, led by Zhang Xiaoqin, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee. The team was accompanied by the Head of Mission of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Zhou Hongyou.

Tegbe emphasized Nigeria’s resolve to strengthen its long-standing relations with China, recently upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). He noted that NCSP’s mandate includes monitoring 55 FOCAC projects, coordinating presidential initiatives, and overseeing strategic projects of national importance.

The NCSP chief pledged to visit Guangxi, stressing that Nigeria has much to learn from China’s rapid modernization. He assured that NCSP will work closely with Guangxi to unlock immediate opportunities in manufacturing equipment, agriculture, fruit production, and processing.

In response, Zhang Xiaoqin expressed Guangxi’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Nigeria. He highlighted the province’s role as a regional hub in southern China, its successful hosting of the China-ASEAN Expo, and the surge in trade between Guangxi and Nigeria, which rose by 21 percent in 2023 to USD 320 million.

Zhang also encouraged Nigerian investors and tourists to explore Guangxi’s strengths in fruit production, digital economy, mining, and tourism.

On his part, Zhou Hongyou of the Chinese Embassy praised the visit, noting cultural and economic similarities between Guangxi and Nigeria while expressing optimism for stronger bilateral cooperation.