Promoting Symbiotic Relationship between Nigeria, China

Chiemelie Ezeobi reports that the recently held Chinese New Year Anniversary was an opportunity to examine the thriving cultural relationship between Nigeria and China while positing a way forward to ensure an enduring mutually beneficial and symbiotic partnership

For the Chinese, their New Year Festival is often commemorated as a very big deal. According to Wikipedia, the Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar.

This year, it was marked on February 1 and was tagged the “Year of the Tiger”. Across the world, the Chinese community mark this festival with pomp. In Lagos, Nigeria, it was not different.

Organised and hosted by the Huaxing Arts Troupe Nigeria Limited at Oriental Hotel in Lagos, it brought together the Chinese community and stakeholders.

Speaking on the topic: ‘Promoting Friendships between Nigeria and China: The Benefits, Expectations, Challenges and the Way Forward’, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the importance of promoting friendship between Nigeria and China cannot be overemphasised.

He said apart from the very strategic relations between the governments of these two countries, the need for the promotion of friendship between their citizens is even more compelling for the fact that China has the largest community of foreign nationals in Nigeria.

Represented by the Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), Hon. Oluwabunmi Amao, the minister said it is the consensus of opinion among scholars of International relations that the relationship between the two countries dates back to the 15th Century, but it was not until 10th February, 1971 that relations between China and Nigeria was formalised with the establishment of diplomatic ties and the opening of embassies in each other’s country within the same year.

With over five decades of international relations, the China-Nigeria Relations are in the areas of: politics, trade, investment, aid, technology, science, culture, education, health and military.

Economic Cooperation

On the economic benefits of Nigeria-China Relations, Amao said: “Both countries have increasingly realised the importance of economic cooperation between them.”

Adding that Nigeria has tapped into its technical assistance in the development of its infrastructures, she said China too has tapped into Nigeria’s oil and gas sector to fuel its growing industry.

“In addition, Nigeria has proven to be the largest market for China’s industrial products in Africa such Textiles, Pharmaceuticals thus accounting for over a third of its total trade with West Africa.

“Although accurate figures are difficult to find, it is believed that Nigeria-China trade moved from about $1.8 billion in 2003 to $13.5 billion in 2018. In this process, more Nigerians have equally established business and other relationships in China.

“Going by indices at the level of Economic relations, the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries have been valued at over $50 billion in the last three years. There are about 218 Chinese companies in Nigeria and are all actively engaged in the various sectors of the economy.”

Infrastructural Cooperation and Development

On this she acquiesced that “it is true that China’s relationship with Nigeria has helped the country Infrastructure-wise.

“In specific terms, one major area of the Chinese strategic relationship with Nigeria is the building of rail infrastructure which is gradually positioning Nigeria as a modern economy with infrastructural foundation.

“In recent years, the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) has delivered four major railway projects after completion, all with a total stretch of 712km, a huge economic value that has been added to the country.

“The CCECC has proven over time to be a reliable supporter of infrastructure upgrade and creation for the economy of Nigeria.

Nigeria has benefited from a number of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects. Notable ones include the Abuja/Kaduna Standard Gauge Rail Line linking the nation’s capital Abuja to Kaduna, a trade centre and transportation hub in North-Western Nigeria, the Lagos/Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail Line linking Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital to Ibadan, the former administrative capital of southwestern Nigeria, and the Lagos/Kano railway, which is an ambitious project connecting the two most populous cities in Southern and Northern Nigeria. Others include new International Airport terminals in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.

Cultural and Educational Cooperation/Exchanges

The fields of Culture and Education are some of the areas that have featured prominently in the friendship between China and Nigeria.

As of 2019, Nigeria had the highest number of African students studying in China; there were about 6,800 Nigerian students in various fields many of whom received scholarships from the Chinese Government.

Culturally, even though China and Nigeria have vastly different historical experiences and cultural traditions, China has been remarkably successful in its efforts to promote Chinese culture in Nigeria, and Nigeria also benefitting in like manner.

Student exchanges and the increase of Chinese media in Nigeria have been the primary mechanisms behind the increasing cultural synergy between the two countries.

“For example in 2007, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, Nigeria, established a Confucius Institute to teach the Chinese language to Nigerian students. Some years later, the University of Lagos followed suit.

“The Confucius Institute is a non-profit making organisation that promotes the teaching of Chinese language and culture. It was founded as a cooperation between the Beijing Institute of Technology and some Nigerian Universities.

“As business linkages between China and Nigeria have grown rapidly in recent years, the institute has been acclaimed as a successful project (Samuel Ramani, 2016).

“Its success was acknowledged on June 29, 2016 when the Chinese Embassy in Abuja announced the establishment of Nigeria’s first Chinese Cultural Research Center.

“The embassy also pledged to create an Igbo language institute in China to encourage Chinese university graduates to work for Chinese companies in Nigeria.”

Blossoming Cuisines

Another very significant area the friendship between Nigeria and China has blossomed is in the area of cuisines with the presence of several Chinese restaurants across the Nation.

“In Lagos State alone, there are not less than 50 Chinese restaurants across board which enjoys a high level of patronage from both Nigerians and Chinese expatriates.

“Abuja and Lagos have also played host to the Spring Festival Temple Fair at different points in time. This have in no small way deepened the cultural relationship between both countries.” She disclosed.

Military Cooperation and Assistance

Military cooperation is yet another area of friendship that is of huge significance.

According to Amao, at some point when a number of advanced nations of the world denied the sales of Military equipment and support to Nigeria, the Chinese offered to fill the void by selling Military aircraft, like fighter jets which the Nigerian Air force have been using to prosecute the war on terror as well as some Naval warships which have boosted Nigerian Navy’s operations in the nations’ maritime domain.

“They have also assisted in supplying military technology and sending military trainers to assist Nigerian forces in their counter-insurgency efforts.

“Additionally, in 2019, China donated about N2billion to Nigeria to support the fight against insurgency. This was in fulfilment of part of the military-to-military cooperation consummated between the two countries during their bilateral agreements and MoU on peace and security in 2018.

“No doubt, these actions reaffirmed the Nigeria-China friendship and have contributed greatly to Nigerian’s positive perceptions of China,” she added.

Broadening Cultural, People-to-People Exchanges

On the need for both countries to broaden cultural, and people-to-people exchanges to deepen their traditional friendship, she noted that “the two countries need to take into consideration the growing enthusiasm of their people for interactions; encourage friendly exchanges in Education, Culture, Health, Science and Technology, Media and other fields, and increase people-to-people exchanges to cement the social foundation for China-Nigeria friendship.

“Consequently, China and Nigeria must make use of the platforms to increase mutual visits by Central and Local Governments, Art troupes (like the Huaxing Arts Troupe) and Academic groups as well as other exchanges at all levels and in all fields.

“For example, people-to-people and cultural exchanges between Nigeria and China are still areas with huge and untapped potential.

“I wish to assure the Chinese Government and its people that Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and Culture is fully committed to ensuring that culture is properly harnessed to contribute its quota in promoting friendship and cooperation between the two countries.”

FESTAC’77 @45

Whilst speaking, Amao chipped in that the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture has commenced preparation to commemorate the 45th Anniversary of Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC’77@45).

“Being the Organisation established after (FESTAC’77), CBAAC is in custody of all the materials including Artefacts, Art Works, Footages of Performances and all other collections exhibited by the 59 Black and African Countries that participated in FESTAC’77.

“FESTAC’77 @ 45 is designed to be a weeklong event packed with activities to showcase diverse cultural expressions and entertainment which include Music, Dance, Poetry, Folklore, Drama, traditional Cuisines/Food Fair, Arts and Craft Exhibitions, Cultural Variety Night etc.

“This would afford artists and culture practitioners on both the African Continent, the Diaspora as well as other countries of the world the platform to promote and encourage their diverse creative expressions/elements, products and art forms.

“We have since commenced the preparation with a number of stakeholders including UNESCO, the African Union Commission and its members states.

“We therefore wish to invite the Chinese Government and community to be part of this Cultural Fiesta to once again cement bones of friendship that is already existing between Nigeria and China,” she disclosed.

Challenges of Nigeria – China Relations

In spite of the successes recorded as a result of the friendship and bilateral relations established by the two countries, Amao said it was not without some challenges.

She said: “It is important to note that the relationship has not entirely been a smooth sail with many Nigerians believing that it is no longer a Win-Win situation as claimed by China.

“Firstly, there is the well circulated notion of Chinese manufacturers colluding with some Nigerian traders to produce cheap but inferior products especially pharmaceutical products, textiles, electronics, footwear etc.

“Nigeria-China history is marked by solidarity, but also dented by Old and New racism. For example, in April 2020, a video emerged online of a Nigerian diplomat in China, Razaq Lawal, publicly criticising his compatriots’ maltreatment in Guangzhou by Chinese officials in the wake of COVID-19 Pandemic. It would be recalled this caused a diplomatic uproar between the two nations.”

Sustaining an Enduring Relationship

But beyond that, stressing that both countries have had an enduring relationship, she said that as they have both come a long way “it is safe to conclude that the two countries are on an enduring relationship that is daily blossoming and growing to a huge bilateral synergy built on strong mutual benefits.

“China’s investment in Africa and by extension Nigeria is phenomenal and has over time progressively transformed into Africa’s largest trading partner surpassing traditional partners such as Europe and the United States of America.

“As it is, there is need for concerted efforts by both countries to ensure that gains of the friendship that have been recorded continue to blossom”.

Way Forward

Positing the way forward, Amao said “Apart from what is already established, the two countries have huge potential for investment cooperation, which is highly complementary, especially in the field of energy, resources, and infrastructure. There is a need to develop and tap this cooperation’s potential.”

Quote

“The two countries need to take into consideration the growing enthusiasm of their people for interactions; encourage friendly exchanges in Education, Culture, Health, Science and Technology, Media and other fields, and increase people-to-people exchanges to cement the social foundation for China-Nigeria friendship”