The Chinese Navy ship, Xuchang that arrived in Nigeria this week has hosted Nigerian and Chinese children to a Children’s Day party on board the vessel.
The hosting was announced by the Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Lagos, Ms. Yan Yuching during a deck reception evening at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
While she delivered her address to welcome guests to the reception, Consul General Yan said “Yesterday was Nigeria’s Children’s Day, and several days later, June 1st is China’s Children’s Day. Immediately after the XuChang Ship arrived in Lagos yesterday, it organized an open-day activity for children in the afternoon.
Around 50 children from China and Nigeria, including 10 Nigerian children from a local orphanage, boarded the ship for a visit and exchange. The officers and soldiers of the ship introduced the children to maritime and naval knowledge and gave them toys, school bags, and other gifts, making it a significant Children’s Day for them. This event lights up the children’s blue dreams and symbolizes the growing friendship between China and Nigeria.”
The reception was well attended by officers and personnel of the Nigerian Navy, the guest Chinese Navy, and many Nigerians in the military, diplomatic, media, and academic circles. Also in attendance were many members of the diplomatic corps in Lagos.
The chief diplomat further in her address noted that “this is a journey of cooperation. The Xuchang Ship is a new type of missile frigate independently developed and constructed by China. Since its commissioning, it has successfully completed many major training and exercise missions. During this visit to Nigeria, navies from China, Nigeria, and other countries will conduct joint maritime exercises and friendly exchanges. This will help to strengthen practical cooperation among the navies of these countries, enhance their maritime capabilities, and maintain naval security.
This is a journey for peace. While upholding its national sovereignty, security, and development interests, China has always maintained world peace, and the Xuchang Ship is such a ship for peace, riding the waves along the way.
From the Gulf of Aden to the Gulf of Guinea, the Xuchang Ship is important in maintaining regional maritime peace and stability. This visit to Nigeria will surely positively contribute to promoting the construction of a maritime community with a shared future.”
Aligning the visit with a good diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and China, she assured that she explained that “Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and an important maritime power. Since establishing the strategic partnership between China and Nigeria, the two countries have continuously strengthened political mutual trust and their military visits and exchanges have increased.
China is willing to continue to enhance coordination and cooperation with Nigeria, support Nigeria in actively developing its blue economy, and deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields such as trade, culture, and defense. This will promote the continuous improvement and upgrading of the China-Nigeria strategic partnership, strengthening the brotherly friendship between China and Nigeria through a win-win pattern.”
The event afforded a rare opportunity to many Chinese and Nigerians, military, and civilians to meet and make friends. Almost all the naval crew of the vessel were first-time visitors to Nigeria, just as most of the Nigerian naval officers and others attended such an event for the first time. The gathering was an opportunity for most of them to make new friends and acquaintances and exchange ideas on the relationship between the two worlds and their peoples.
It was richly loaded with Chinese cuisine and drinks. The event ended with Chinese cultural displays staged by the naval officers, both men and women.
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