The Bauchi State government in North East Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Shandong Province of China to promote trade and investment, build industrial capacity, boost green energy to enhance low carbon as well as improve food security and fight poverty.
The Bauchi State governor, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, who signed the agreement on behalf of the state, promised to deepen cooperation with Shandong province in his address on Monday during the 2023 World Cities Forum and Regional Leaders Summit, which was held in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong province with the theme “ Green Development, Low Carbon Life”.
Governor Mohammed, who led a strong delegation of entrepreneurs, noted that China has demonstrated friendship and fraternity towards Africa and the rest of the world with massive investment in infrastructure, agriculture, ICT and cultural exchanges. He added that investment in green energy will help to reduce the impact of climate change and address the issue of poverty.
He said “ we are here to formalise our sister relationship with the Shandong province. At the beginning of such a relationship, I see the prospect of an enduring friendship and a mutually beneficial relationship for our sister states and people”.
The governor, who gave assurance of his government’s commitment and reciprocity said “ we are ready to do business because we believe in the sincerity of the Chinese.”
“Nigeria and China had shared a relationship of mutual respect with Nigeria being China’s third largest trading partner in Africa and China being Nigeria’s largest source of imports. The renewed commitment towards improving the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, has most recently been bolstered with major sectors witnessing development driven by strategy and investment” the governor added.
He expressed hope that the relationship between Bauchi state and the Shandong province will proactively push for the growth of a two-way trade and investment by leveraging their advantage and complementary industries, technologies and market opportunities.
Earlier in his opening address, the Secretary of the Communist Party of China(CPC) Shandong Provincial Committee and Chairman of Standing Committee of the Shandong provincial People’s Congress, Lin Wu, in his opening statement, said the summit is to promote prosperity of all peoples and strengthen the bond of friendship to boost business and investment for mutual benefits.
The summit was also attended by Benjamin Chesire Cheboi, the Governor of the Baringo County in Kenya; Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape of South Africa; Paulette Bethel, the Ambassador of Bahamas to China; Kang Byungsam, Mayor of Jaju in the Republic of Korea.
Others include Yan Dong, the Vice President of the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Li Jie, the Vice President of the Chinese People’s Institution for Foreign Affairs and Chen Yuming, Vice President of the China’s Public Diplomacy Association among others.
The Forum brought together different cities, states and provinces of the world to promote friendship, mutual cooperation and interaction among communities across the world regardless of their differences.
