The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., emphasized the fruitful 50-year diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and China during a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by Ambassador His Excellency Cui Jianchun. Speaker Abbas recognized the significant contributions of China to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development and stressed the importance of a robust parliamentary relationship between Nigeria’s National Assembly and the Chinese People’s Parliament.
Addressing the delegation, Speaker Abbas extended a warm welcome and highlighted the parallel role of Nigeria’s National Assembly and the Chinese People’s Parliament in representing the people. He praised China’s status as the second-largest economy and the most populous nation globally. The Speaker expressed Nigeria’s eagerness to collaborate with China, noting that the diplomatic relationship had been free from disputes and had brought substantial benefits to Nigeria. Speaker Abbas reminisced about his previous role as the chairman of the House Committee on Land Transport, where he witnessed the vital contributions made by China to Nigeria’s transport sector. He emphasized the positive nature of the China-Nigeria relationship and the potential for mutual gain through strengthening the partnership.
The Speaker introduced Hon. Jafaru Yakubu, the chairman of the Nigeria-China Parliamentary Friendship Committee, and encouraged the Chinese Ambassador to facilitate introductions between the Committee Chairman and his Chinese counterparts. This step would enhance the collaboration between the parliaments of both nations.
Ambassador Cui Jianchun, in turn, briefed Speaker Abbas on the Chinese Parliament’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Nigerian Legislature. He emphasized that greater collaboration between both parliaments would solidify the existing diplomatic relationship. The Ambassador conveyed his appreciation for the warm reception and expressed the Chinese Parliament’s willingness to work with its Nigerian counterpart to deepen bilateral ties.
Ambassador Cui Jianchun highlighted the areas of national development in which China had actively participated in Nigeria over the past six years, including infrastructure projects, rail transportation, technology, and security. He suggested that China could also benefit from Nigeria through legislative and cultural cooperation. The Ambassador extended an invitation to Speaker Abbas to visit the Chinese Parliament the following year to establish further connections and strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
0 Comments