President Bola Tinubu is set to embark on a high-stakes visit to China in early September, primarily aiming to boost Nigeria’s economy and infrastructure.
Special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, briefed State House correspondents yesterday about the upcoming trip.
According to him, the president would conduct site visits to Huawei Technologies, as well as the China Rail and Construction Corporation (CRCC), to facilitate the completion of the Ibadan to Abuja segment of the Lagos to Kano high-speed rail line.
Underscoring the importance of President Tinubu’s trip to China to Nigeria and the citizens, Ngelale stated that the series of line-up engagements and meetings for the president in Beijing will lead to immediate and future benefits to the Nigerian economy and the Nigerian people.
He said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart for the People’s Republic of China, most specifically, Beijing, from the nation’s capital within the first week of September to engage in a series of meetings and activities with an immediate and future benefit to the Nigerian economy and the Nigerian people.
“First and foremost, his excellency, Mr President, will conduct site visits to two major Chinese corporations: Huawei Technologies and the China Rail and Construction Corporation (CRCC). This is to achieve one of Mr President’s top agenda items: the completion of the Ibadan to Abuja segment of the Lagos to Kano high-speed rail line.
“Thereafter, Mr President will meet 10 selected chief executive officers of 10 major Chinese corporations with assets under management totalling over $3 trillion US dollars across multiple sectors of the economy, including information and communications technology, refining oil and gas, aluminium production, seaport construction, harbour construction and dredging services, financial services, satellite technology development, as well as many other critical sectors,” Ngelale added.
The Presidential Spokesperson further revealed that the Nigerian leader will meet with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, where several Memorandum of Understanding will be signed.Ngelale outlined the MOUs as including deepening cooperation in green economy, agriculture, satellite technology development, media enterprise development and promotion, blue economic development, and national planning corporation.
He added that this would form a broader engagement between the two leaders, where the Nigerian leader, President Tinubu, and his Chinese counterpart would discuss matters of mutual interest across national, regional, and international security.
In Beijing, President Tinubu is also scheduled to join the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation FOCAC, slated for September 4 to 6th, in his capacity as the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver remarks on behalf of the region and also participate in a high-level peace and security plenary, where he will further deliver remarks on peace and security in the region and Africa.
“Furthermore, His Excellency, Mr President, would thereafter join the FOCAC Summit, where several African heads of state will be present to engage with Chinese leaders on various important matters.
“At this FOCAC Summit, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, will deliver remarks on behalf of the region and certainly will proceed to the high-level peace and security plenary, where he will further deliver remarks on peace and security in the region and in Africa in his capacity as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The President’s Spokesperson added that President Tinubu is placing a premium on deliverables, ensuring his participation at the 2024 FOCAC summit is not a talk shop but justifying all expenditures incurred on his trip to China.
“This engagement is expected to yield very tangible, immediate and future dividends for the sake of the Nigerian economy and the benefit of the Nigerian people and the President is placing a premium on deliverables, ensuring that this is not a talk-shop, but that this is something that will yield results for our people, justifying any expenditure that is made during this trip,” Ngelale added.
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