Nigeria to deepen diplomatic ties with China, says Amb. Jidda

By Fortune Abang

Amb. Baba Ahmad Jidda, the Nigerian ambassador to China, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening cooperation with China.

Jidda said this in an interview on the sidelines of the 2022 International Food Fair ceremony organised by the Commonwealth Society of Beijing (CSB) held at the embassy.

According to Jidda, the friendship between Nigeria and China has been a win-win. He added that it had been 66 years since China and Africa officially opened diplomatic cooperation in 1956.

“Nigeria and China have had diplomatic relations for 51 years now, and we have signed numerous bilateral agreements between Nigeria and China.”

“Nigeria is a very close friend of China and we have an agreement on the one-China policy and our country, we have an agreement on the exchange of education, we have an agreement relating to trade and commerce.

“We have an agreement in bilateral air-services; it is an agreement we signed very recently, which enabled Airpeace airline to fly directly from Lagos to China.”

“We also have agreements on facilitating visas for officials and citizens. For instance, all Nigerian diplomats do not require a visa to come to China.

“Just as Nigeria government officials holding government official passports do not require a visa to come to China; likewise we allow Chinese to go to Nigeria and obtain a visa on arrival.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the embassy to issue visas to Chinese wanting to go to Nigeria for investment within 48 hours, according to the ambassador.

He further said that both countries had shared similarities and had also established numerous agreements, adding that such had brought about progress in their diplomatic relations.

In spite of the difficulty for students to come to China, measures have been taken by the Chinese government to relax restrictions against coming to the country.

“We are also very strong members of FOCAC, and under that forum, we do get support for our infrastructure development.”

Because of their exit during the inception of COVID-19, we have about 2,000 Nigerian students in China, compared to other countries battling with students coming back to China to complete their studies.

“I personally pleaded with the students from the onset of COVID-19 not to go anywhere, but to stay in China with the full hope that China would do something tangible to contain the pandemic.”

“I have been vindicated; in Wuhan alone, we have 65 of our students who never left, and most of them in university also stayed put and are now pursuing education peacefully with lots of progress on their own.

“As far as students of Nigeria are concerned, they are comfortable and enjoying their studies, and we believe they will conclude their studies, go back home and transfer education technology to our country, “he said.

Jidda prayed that special consideration be given to students in Nigeria, as in many other countries in the world, to enable them to benefit more from the relaxation policy.

He said although the embassy celebrated Nigeria’s independence on Oct. 1, 2021, in spite of the COVID-19 outbreak, more would be done to celebrate the nation’s independence this year.

“I am still optimistic that something tangible will be done by the Embassy of Nigeria to celebrate Nigerian independence on Oct. 1, which is also the Independence Day of China and, coincidentally, my birthday.”

“So, it is a day that is very dear to me as a Nigerian and as a diplomat serving in China; however, one way or the other, it will be celebrated,” the envoy assured.

NAN