Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar in Abuja Thursday. [Photo/Xinhua]
ABUJA -- China and Nigeria should continue to firmly support each other on issues related to their core concerns and always be good brothers of mutual trust to inject impetus and confidence into the high-quality development of China-Africa cooperation and Africa's modernization, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a press conference after meeting with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar in Abuja.
Under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the development of China-Nigeria relations has achieved three outstanding achievements, Wang said.
First, the positioning of the relationship has achieved a new leap with the two heads of state jointly announcing that China-Nigeria relations have been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.
Second, a new platform has been established through solidarity and collaboration. The first plenary session of the China-Nigeria Intergovernmental Committee was held successfully, which promoted the upgrading and coordinated progress of China-Nigeria cooperation, Wang said.
Third, international cooperation has reached a new height. The two sides coordinate closely on international and regional affairs and work together to promote the collective rise, development and revitalization of the Global South.
Wang said that over the past half-century since the establishment of diplomatic relations, regardless of changes in the international situation, China and Nigeria have always been deepening friendly and practical cooperation based on mutual respect and equality, becoming a successful example of South-South cooperation and an important benchmark for China-Africa cooperation.
Both sides should maintain the "strategic nature" of China-Nigeria relations under the guidance of the two countries' leaders, Wang said.
The two countries should highlight the "exemplary nature" of China-Nigeria relations by continuing to "take the lead," he added.
Wang also said that both sides should leverage the "complementary nature" of China-Nigeria relations by fully aligning their respective strengths and continuously exploring cooperation potential in new areas such as clean energy, green minerals, finance and more.
China and Nigeria should expand the "comprehensive nature" of China-Nigeria relations, promoting coordinated development in trade, agriculture, culture, defense, science and technology, space and other sectors, said the Chinese foreign minister.
Wang expressed confidence that through joint efforts, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Nigeria will have an even brighter future.
