China to Assist Nigeria, W’Africa in Fight Against Sect

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja

The outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gu Xiaoji, has expressed his country’s preparedness to assist Nigeria and its neghbouring West African countries in exterminating the Boko Haram insurgents.

He said China will deploy its security wherewithal in the planned regional summit on insecurity in the region due to hold soon.

Xiaoji who made the disclosure during a farewell visit to the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said there was no dull moment during his stay in Nigeria.

For the burgeoning relations between his country and Nigeria, he commended the minister for the recent visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, which he said was a great success and a sign of improved relations between the two giant nations of Asia and Africa.

He said: “I congratulate the achievement of Nigeria especially with the coming of President Buhari to China. Since three years that I came here, the relationship between China and Nigeria has been very eventful.

“The state visit by PMB which is his first one is a landmark and would go a long way in enhancing mutual cooperation between the two countries. I thank Nigerians for their assistance given to me in my tour of duty.”
With a feeling of nostalgia, Xiaoji, said he is already missing Nigeria. “Wherever I go, I will do my best in promoting Nigeria.
We got invitation from this government on a regional summit on security that would hold soon.” he said.
On the regional security summit, he added that there would be representatives from our government in that summit. China is consulting with Nigeria and other countries on this regional initiative, he admitted.

On the success of the anti-corruption war in China, he explained that the present administration in China has been beefing up efforts in its anti-corruption fight, adding that senior government officials are punished when they infringed on the law.

According to him, the anti-graft war is winning popular support because the Chinese people are giving it massive support. As the ruling party: CPC, we need to win the confidence of the people, he said.

The outgoing Ambassador said: “We are also taking note of the efforts since the new administration came on board in Nigeria because anticorruption is one of the three initiatives by this administration.

“At this level of collaboration, we are ready to share our experience on governance; on anticorruption in various forms with Nigeria. As sovereign states, we have different policies, initiatives and ways of doing things. So, we really want to share our experience with Nigeria in this regard.

In a remark, Onu, said Nigeria is full of expectations that the recent visit of the Nigeria’s president to China will yield the desired result.

He said: “Nigeria and China have something in common; Nigeria has the highest number of black people in the world and China has the largest concentration of human beings in Asia and in the world.”

Onu, said Nigeria cannot wait to fast track growth in its infrastructure road map especially using science and technology, adding that China through hard work made it from a developing world to self-sufficiency in food and technology is today a force to be reckoned with globally. END