On April 12, 2016, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. The two heads of state decided to jointly upgrade China-Nigeria strategic partnership to a new level and bring more benefits to the two peoples.
Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Nigeria diplomatic relations. With the joint efforts of the two sides, the two countries have gained fruitful achievements from friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields. In the overall environment where multi-polarization and economic globalization continuously progress, deepening China-Nigeria friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields is in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries and their peoples and conductive to the peace, stability and development of Africa and the world as a whole.
Xi Jinping stressed that both China and Nigeria take on arduous task of development. The two countries have corresponding development strategies, strong economic complementarity and enormous cooperative potential, so we should promote mutual benefits and win-win results as well as seek common development. The two sides should maintain the sound momentum of high-level exchanges, strengthen friendly exchanges in all fields, render mutual understanding and support on the issues related to each other's core interests and major concerns, and constantly enhance strategic mutual trust. China stands ready to work together with Nigeria to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as agriculture and fisheries, petroleum refining, mineral exploitation, electromechanical system, light industry, textile industry, and processing and manufacturing, so as to achieve win-win cooperation and common development. China is willing to preferentially support Nigeria in breaking three bottlenecks that hamper Nigeria's industrialization and agricultural modernization including lagging infrastructure, shortage of professionals, and lack of finance. China is willing to intensify bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the fields such as culture, education, media, young people and women, and tamp the social and public opinion foundation for the friendship between the two countries. China supports Nigeria to play a more significant role in international and regional affairs, and stands ready to enhance communication and cooperation with Nigeria in terms of major international and regional issues such as African peace and security, climate change, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Africa have long been a community of shared destiny that goes through thick and thin together as well as a community of shared interests featuring mutual benefit and win-win results. It is always the cornerstone of China's diplomatic policy to develop friendly cooperative relationship with African countries. The Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation achieved great success. China and Africa drew up a new blueprint of win-win cooperation and common development. China will adhere to the Africa policy featuring sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, and the correct viewpoint of righteousness and benefit, comprehensively implement the results of the Johannesburg Summit, and closely combine China's own development with the assistance to Africa's development so as to realize win-win cooperation and common development.
Muhammadu Buhari stated that it is delighted to see that during the past 45 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, substantial progress has been made in bilateral relations, and cooperation in all fields has been deepened constantly. Nigeria thanks China for its long-term and strong assistance to infrastructure construction and other fields. China's economic and social development yields enormous achievements, which is admirable for the whole world. Last year the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on Africa-China Cooperation added new impetus to the cooperation between African countries and China in a new situation and also brought greater potential to Nigeria-China cooperation. Nigeria is willing to speed up the implementation of agreements reached by the two countries, expand mutually beneficial cooperation with China in agriculture, mineral, infrastructure, human resources and other fields so as to help Nigeria realize diversified economic development and boost employment. Nigeria is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in international affairs.
After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of cooperative documents in infrastructure, production capacity, investment, aviation, science and technology, finance and other fields.
Before the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for Muhammadu Buhari at the square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People. Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Chen Changzhi, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Luo Fuhe and others were present.