Tinubu Arrives China on Official Visit

* To meet, sign MoUs with Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping

* To make lead African presentation at FOCAC summit

Deji Elumoye in Beijing, China 

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday arrived Beijing, the People’s Republic of China’s capital, for an official state visit after a brief lay over in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The president’s aircraft, Nigerian Air Force 001 touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport at about 9:25am (local time) and was received by the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zhao Zhiyuan.

President Tinubu, who made a brief stop in the UAE before arriving in China, is accompanied by top government officials, including the Ministers of Finance, Trade, Works, Defence and Petroleum (Gas). 

The delegation also includes governors from Kaduna, Lagos, and Kwara States.

The president’s high-profile visit to China is aimed at fostering economic ties and securing investments for Nigeria.

President Tinubu’s itinerary include meeting on Monday with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, and would be signing several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at deepening cooperation between the two nations.

The agreements between the two leaders will focus on key areas, including green economy, agriculture, satellite technology development, media enterprise development and promotion, blue economic development, and national planning cooperation.

The meeting will also provide a platform for the two heads of state to discuss matters of mutual interest, spanning economic cooperation, national, regional and international security, and other pressing global issues.

The president will also pay site visits to prominent Chinese corporations, including Huawei Technologies and the China Rail and Construction Corporation (CRCC), to fast-track the completion of the Ibadan to Abuja segment of the Lagos to Kano high-speed rail line.

President Tinubu will also engage in strategic meetings with 10 chief executives of major Chinese corporations, boasting assets under management totalling over $3 trillion, across various sectors, including ICT, oil and gas, aluminium production, seaport construction, financial services, and satellite technology development.

The visit is expected to yield immediate and long-term benefits for the Nigerian economy and people, underscoring the president’s commitment to economic growth and development.

The Nigerian president will also feature at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) holding in Beijing from Wednesday, September 4 to Friday, September 6. 

The conference, with the theme ‘Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future’, will be a significant event, with leaders from China and Africa gathering to discuss modernization and building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. 

President Tinubu, as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, will join other African leaders at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit and will deliver key remarks on behalf of the region, addressing critical matters of mutual interest between China and Africa.

The president will also participate in the high-level peace and security plenary, where he will share Nigeria’s perspective on regional and continental security challenges.