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CHINA on Tuesday night celebrated
its diplomatic relations with Nigeria as Lagos State Governor Raji Fashola
commended the cordial relationship between both countries.
The governor, who was represented by Mrs. Shola Oworu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce and Industry, at the cultural night to mark the 40th celebration of Chinese/Nigeria diplomatic relations and the Chinese New Year in Lagos, said that Lagos State was partnering a Chinese company in the dualisation of the Lagos Badagry Expressway. “CCP, a Chinese construction company is partnering the state government,” she said.
According to her, over the years, the Chinese have been in partnership with Lagos State to build social infrastructure and help in transfer of technology.
The Chinese Consulate General, Quo-Kum, disclosed that there had been enhanced diplomatic and bilateral relations between Nigeria and China. “The Chinese companies are involved in building roads, improving the infrastructure of the country. It should now be consolidated with cultural exchanges. Through cultural exchanges Nigeria and China can better understand each other,” he said.
Amb. Victor Chibundu, Founder, Nigeria-China Friendship Association, recalled that Nigeria established diplomatic relations with China in February 1971. “That is why we are here to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Chinese/Nigerian diplomatic relations.
“There have been a lot of achievements both at the government level. The achievements have been enormous on both sides. On the political side, the Chinese have always supported Nigeria in the prosecution of projects of mutual advantages.”
According to him, currently the Chinese are partnering Nigeria in a number of projects including improvement and rehabilitation of the base line of Nigeria railways. “Their airlines are also coming to Nigeria to improve the transit of Nigerians and Chinese who are involved in intimate businesses. The Chinese are also involved in road construction in Nigeria, harbour rehabilitation and a number of economic and developmental projects in this country.”
Chinbudu disclosed that trade relations between Nigeria and China had also improved dramatically. “If you go to our major market today, you will find a lot of Chinese goods being displayed or being sold, at a price Nigerians can afford. Not as expensive as imported goods from western countries or even America or other Asian countries.”
The former Nigerian Ambassador to China described the relationship between Nigeria and China as a profitable marriage. “In the private sector, you can see that this is a gigantic hotel (Oriental Hotel), the technology far exceeds what we can afford to build in this country. Some of the hotels in Abuja are not as exquisite or elaborately constructed as this. Yet it was built by the Chinese private sector. This shows the importance they attach to this country. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have built this type of hotel. They go to countries that are developing and put their investment there.”
He said that the Chinese had invested a lot in this country in the areas of railways, hotels and traffic. Nigeria and China according to him have been enjoying excellent diplomatic relations since 1971 when China established its Consulate General in Lagos, which subsequently was moved to Abuja.
“And we opened our embassy in Beijing. Since then our relationship has been keen. We have not had any diplomatic rupture in our relations. It has been very cordial,” he said.
He said that the Chinese contributed to transfer of technology while helping in building of infrastructure in Nigeria.
“They cannot get themselves involved in building gigantic hotels like this without transferring some of their expertise to Nigerians who assisted them in building it. Ditto for other sectors. Technology is being transferred all the time. Even when they sell their goods to Nigerians, the Nigerian industries take that opportunity to learn more about the technology in the production of whatever it is,” he said.
He stressed that the number of Nigerians wanting to get visa to China to do business had surged.
“Today you find hundreds of people queuing to obtain visa to China. And more and more Nigerians are crazy for one reason to go to China. You have Nigerian students who are now being trained in China in various fields of education. So it is a continuous business, the transfer of technology goes on all the time between Nigeria and China.”
As for the issue of Chinese dumping inferior goods in Nigeria, Chibundu said: “This is debatable, I can tell you that, Chinese produce goods both for internal and external consumption. The Chinese are not necessarily rich people. They produce to meet the taste of their own people. Nigerian businessmen go to China to import the products that suit them.
“The Chinese produce higher quality goods as well, which they send to other countries of the world, like the United States (U.S.), the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, France etc. Those are the people they send high quality goods to, because they can afford to pay for them. Nigerians cannot afford the cost of goods that are sold in the UK or America or other European countries. So it seems as if the Chinese are dumping inferior goods in Nigeria. But Nigerians buy them because that suits their pockets. The preponderant majority of Nigeria cannot afford to buy expensive things,” he said.
Source: Guardian Newspaper Nigeria
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