Tinubu to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to seek economic cooperation

President Bola Tinubu will depart for Beijing, China, in the first week of September, on a visit to China to discuss cooperation on the economy, agriculture and satellite technology. During the visit he will sign several MOUs with President Xi Jinping, his Chinese counterpart. The President’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said this while briefing State House correspondents on Tuesday. He said the President would also visit two major Chinese corporations, Huawei Technologies and the China Railway and Construction Corporation. 

“This is with a view to achieve one of Mr President’s top agenda items, which is the completion of the Ibadan-to-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano high-speed rail line,” Mr Ngelale said. Thereafter, he said the President would meet chief executive officers of 10 major Chinese corporations with assets under management totalling over 3 trillion dollars across multiple sectors of the economy. The sectors include information and communications technology, oil & gas, aluminium production, harbour construction/dredging services, financial services and satellite technology, among others. Mr Ngelale said the series of meetings and activities would have immediate and future benefits to the Nigerian economy and Nigerian people. “The MOUs will involve agreements in deepening cooperation in green economy, agriculture, satellite technology development, media enterprise development and promotion, as well as blue economic development and national planning cooperation. This is going to be part of a broader engagement where the two heads of state will discuss matters of mutual interest across not just the economy, but also on issues of national, regional and international security,” said the spokesman.

According to him, the President will thereafter join the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation Summit, where several African heads of state will be present to engage with Chinese leaders on various important matters. He said President Tinubu would make a presentation in his capacity as the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on behalf of the region. He said Mr Tinubu would proceed to the high-level peace and security plenary, where he would further make a presentation on peace and security in the region and in Africa.

According to him, the engagement is expected to yield tangible, immediate and future dividends for the Nigerian economy and for the benefit of the Nigerian people. “The President will place a premium on deliverables, ensuring that this is not a talk show, but will yield results for our people, justifying any expenditure that is made during the course of this trip,” Mr Ngelale stated. NAN