China’s President Xi Jinping to treat Tinubu, first lady to state visit September
By Adeola Atanda
China’s President Xi Jinping has invited Nigerian leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu and first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to a state visit in September, the presidency has said.
“China’s vice minister of foreign affairs, Chen Xiaodong, delivered the invitation to President Tinubu at the Aso Villa on Thursday,” Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s special adviser, said. He added that Chen had led a large delegation to Nigeria to deliver the message.
“President Tinubu accepted the invitation and hoped that it would strengthen Nigeria-China bilateral relations and the proposed currency swap agreement,” Onanuga added.
Cornet News reports that Nigeria and China are long-standing partners, beginning from when they struck a diplomatic relations on February 10, 1971.
President Tinubu’s scheduled visit to the Asian country will be taking place more than a decade after Nigeria hosted former Chinese president Hu Jintao to state visits that took place in 2004 and 2006. During the visits, both countries signed agreement establishing strategic relationship. China is involved in Nigeria’s infrastructure revamping by providing financing for the construction of various projects, such as rail, Lekki Free Trade Zone, Zungeru Hydro Power Dam among others.
