The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, revealed that the commercial volume between Nigeria and China in 2024 exceeded 20 billion dollars and assured that China is anxious to work with Nigeria to further increase commercial volume, since they see a significant potential in the country.
Dunhai, revealing this on Saturday in Abuja during the celebration of the Chinese 2025 Lunar New Year at the Chinese Cultural Center, added that “Nigeria is the country where China has the largest engineering contract, the second largest export market and the third largest Commercial partner for China in Africa.
According to him, “2024 was a successful year for the two countries, whose climax was the elevation of the bilateral relations of the two countries to a comprehensive strategic association by President Bola Tinubu during his visit to China. 2025 will be much better. ”
The ambassador said that one of the key pillars of the Nigeria-China relationship is cultural exchange and between very narrow peoples, and the Chinese New Year celebration serves as an important catalyst to promote exchange.
“Nigeria is an important African country that has worldwide influence and, being a socio -partner country of the BRICs, China hopes to work with it to implement the 10 action associations that will benefit the citizens of the two countries.
“Happy Chinese New Year to all Chinese communities in Nigeria. I also wish the people of Nigeria a year full of joy, peace, prosperity and love.
“The year of the snake represents hard work, intelligence and happiness, so we hope that the year of the snake will bring peace and prosperity for the Chinese and Nigerian peoples.
“Every year we organize this Temple Fair of the Spring Festival and this year we invite more than 2,000 people, both Nigerians and Chinese, to enjoy and celebrate together with us,” he said.
On the occasion, the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economics, Mr. Oraeluno Raphael Obi, said that the relationship between Nigeria and China is “full of history”, marked by mutual respect and shared aspirations .
“Just as the mute snake its skin to embrace new beginnings, our bilateral ties continue to evolve, reflect our commitment to wisdom and transformation.”
Obi said that the two countries share a common feature: they have rich and diverse cultures with deep historical roots that continue to influence their modern societies.
According to him, despite his geographical distance, they find points in common in the shared values of family, community and respect for the elderly, as reflected in the vibrant festivals of Nigeria and the colorful traditions of China.
He added that the rich culinary delights, the various artistic expressions and the appreciated traditional practices of both countries serve as vibrant testimonies of the beauty of their cultures, cultivating a deep spirit of intercultural understanding and mutual appreciation.
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“The goodwill that China has shown towards Nigeria in various sectors, particularly in culture and tourism, has been fundamental to improve our bilateral relationship.
“Collaboration efforts in cultural exchanges, art exhibitions and tourist initiatives have not only enriched our societies but also created ways for economic growth and development.
“When celebrating this new year, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to promote and strengthen bilateral cultural ties between Nigeria and China.
“The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economics is dedicated to implementing policies and programs that promote cultural exchange, support artistic collaborations and improve tourist opportunities.
“We visualize a future where our cultural interactions flourish, creating a network of shared experiences that benefit both nations.”
Also in his comments, Mr. Xu Zhen Tao, deputy director of the Municipal Office of Culture and Tourism of Beijing, said that Nigeria and China have enjoyed a lasting friendship since they established diplomatic relations in the mid -twentieth century.
He said: “Under the initiative of the Strip and the Route, Chinese-Nigeria cooperation not only deepens bilateral relations, but also creates more opportunities to achieve stability, prosperity and development throughout the African continent and even worldwide “
The director of the Chinese-Africa Research Center in Nigeria, Prof. Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said the event is part of cultural integration, where we learn from each other.
This mutual understanding, he added, allows us to coexist peacefully, since we accept and appreciate the values and norms of other cultures.
“China is a great civilization with a history of more than 5,000 years and strives to celebrate its culture worldwide.
“Similarly, Nigeria is proud of his rich cultural heritage, but the key difference between Nigeria and China lies in our remarkable diversity.”
Nigerian gallery