It is no mere coincidence that China shares many historical reality with Nigeria from celebrating Independence Day on the same day, October 1 to being the country with the largest population in the world and Nigeria being the country with the largest population in Africa and in fact the country with the highest black population, China has followed the same development paths with Nigeria, it is only that it has gotten it right while Nigeria still grope in the dark.
China has gotten it so right that it has come to become the fastest growing economy at this time, though United States could be the numero uno economy at least for now but China is projected to be on the line to upstage U.S soon. The facts are glaring: China was in 13th place in 2000 and has been sitting in second place since 2010. China has the world’s second-largest nominal GDP in current dollars and the largest in terms of PPP. With annual growth that consistently outpaces that of the United States, China may be on track to become the largest economy in the world by nominal GDP in the years to come. As China has increasingly opened up its economy over the past four decades, economic development and living standards have greatly improved. As the government has gradually phased out collectivized agriculture and industry, allowed greater flexibility for market prices, and increased the autonomy of businesses, foreign and domestic trade and investment have taken off. China coupled with an industrial police that encourages domestic manufacturing, which has made her the world’s number one exporter.
China from experience fully understand the challenges and developmental paths of African countries generally and Nigeria in particular and share the continent sentiment. Over the past decades, China and Africa have maintained long-term friendship, which has stood the test of changing international circumstances. The all-round cooperation between the two sides brought about remarkable outcomes in political, economic, social and security fields, which has greatly contributed to Africa’s social and economic development.
At present, China and Africa are stepping up efforts to implement the outcomes of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and accelerate the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future. China has shown her readiness to join Africa to promote the realization of the UN 2030 SDGs and the AU Agenda 2063, firmly safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and promote the building of a more just and rational international political and economic order.
In November 2021 , Chinese President Xi Jinping made an important statement at the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC and creatively put forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, featuring sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness. This spirit truly captures the relations of China and Africa working together in good and hard times over the past decades, and provides a source of strength for the continuous growth of China-Africa ties.
At this Conference, President Xi also proposed “Nine Programmes” of China-Africa cooperation in terms of medical and health, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people exchange, and peace and security. The Nine Programmes have drawn up an ambitious blueprint for China-Africa cooperation in the coming years and have been highly praised by African countries.
Under this framework, China will implement 80 key aid projects, establish a “green channel” for African agricultural products to China, and strive to import $300 billion worth of products from Africa in the next three years. China will support the building of the African continental Free Trade Area and the building of the Great Green Wall of Africa.
The concrete measures meet the most pressing development needs of African countries, align with China’s new development pattern and conform to the general trend of international development cooperation. The Nine Programmes are manifestos of China’s undiminished support to Africa’s development and will certainly lend new impetus to Africa’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
For a long time, China and African countries have shared weal and woe, fighting together against colonization, apartheid and racism. The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun said recently that: “We (China and Africa) have understood and supported each other on issues concerning our core interests and major concerns, always standing at the forefront of international justice.
However, there is a long way for us to make this world a fair, equal, inclusive and just place. Developing countries are kept on being victimized by hegemony, supremacy, blockade. China will always support developing countries, in particular the African countries in playing a bigger and more active role in international affairs, and is willing to work with African brothers to uphold and exercise true multilateralism, strengthen communication and coordination on major international and regional affairs, and make the international governance system more just and equitable.
“Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and most populous country with significant international and regional influence. China is the largest developing country. The friendship between our two countries could date back to decades ago, and we have become reliable partners worthy of mutual dependence. It is in the common interests of the two countries and the two peoples to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields.
Currently the two countries are strengthening an intergovernmental committee led by the foreign ministers of the two countries. This committee will coordinate to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in various fields: to promote China’s new development pattern and Nigeria’s new national development plan; to jointly build the Belt and Road cooperation; to vigorously promote the construction of key projects to help the development of Nigeria’s industrialization; to continue to expand the space for cooperation to create new highlights of the digital economy and green economy; to carry out in-depth military security cooperation to improve Nigeria’s ability to maintain national security; to collaborate on regional affairs, exercise the concept of multilateralism, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. Under the stewardship of the committee, the potential of all-round cooperation between our two countries will be greatly unleashed.”
China has shown in time past to truly be a brother especially when Nigeria was considered a pariah nation after the fallout of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. As the Western countries tried squeezing life out of Nigeria with severe sanctions, China acting as true brother and a soulmate came to Nigeria’s rescue. This is another difficult time across the globe again with need to recover from COVID-19 pandemic and the economic pains of ongoing war in Ukraine with Russia which is creating hardship in the world, Nigeria is definitely looking in the direction of China to show the path to recovery for it is often said that you line up behind the man that knows the road and China definitely does.
It is quite instructive that the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria has pushed forward the strategic partnership between the two countries with his 5GIST Nigeria-China GDP (Growth, Development and Progress) Strategy. This has warmly be welcomed by Nigerian stakeholders at various levels. With this on board, the two soulmates, Nigeria and China can continue a friendship from past decades into future decades.
