Chinese Foreign Minister to Visit Nigeria, Other African Countries, Details Emerge

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be visiting Nigeria and three other African countries from Sunday, January 5 to Saturday, January 11
• The development was part of China's efforts to strengthen relationships with African countries, and it would be the first overseas trip of the year for the minister
• Other African countries Wang Yi will be visiting during the trips are Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, and Chad

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to embark on a diplomatic tour of Africa from January 5 to 11, visiting Nigeria, Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, and Chad.

This trip marks the 35th consecutive year that China's foreign minister has chosen Africa as the destination for their first overseas trip of the year, highlighting the importance of maintaining strong ties with African nations.

According to Mao Ning, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, Wang Yi's visit is at the invitation of these countries and reinforces China's long-standing tradition of strengthening Sino-African relations.

Read also

Blinken in Japan after rift on steel deal

Why Chinese foreign minister is visiting Nigeria

This tradition is built on advancing modernization in six key areas and implementing 10 partnership actions, which aim to strengthen cooperation in areas like trade, industrialisation, infrastructure development, and people-to-people exchanges.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposals at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation last year emphasized upgrading bilateral relations between China and African countries with diplomatic ties to strategic relations. He also suggested elevating China-Africa relations to an "all-weather community with a shared future" for the new era. The African side responded positively to these proposals, indicating a willingness to deepen cooperation with China.

Wang Yi's visit is expected to further solidify China's relationships with African nations, focusing on areas such as governance experience sharing, knowledge networks, and people-to-people exchanges. With China's economy increasingly looking to Africa for growth opportunities, this trip is likely to have significant implications for the future of Sino-African relations.

Read also

Obasanjo says China’s proposed BRI will boost intra-continental trade

Tinubu attended China-Africa summit in 2024

Wang Yi's visit comes months after the China-Africa summit, which President Tinubu also attended.

Speaking on Thursday, September 5, 2024, in Beijing during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Tinubu hailed the rapid growth of the $280 billion trade partnership between Africa and China, calling it a remarkable achievement.

The Nigerian leader emphasised the significance of the trade volume, highlighting the deepening economic ties and increased integration between the two regions.

Source: Legit.ng