President Bola Tinubu has concluded plans to embark on a trip to the People’s Republic of China, to discuss bilateral ties and other diplomatic issues with the country’s president, Xi Jinping.
The visit came days after a Chinese firm secured court injunctions to put Nigeria’s property up for sale, following alleged breach of contract by the Ogun State Government.
Tinubu will be leaving the country days after a medical trip to France where the president was said to have had a time with his personal physician.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed the president’s plan on Tuesday during a media briefing at the Villa in Abuja.
Ngelale, who did not indicate the departure and return dates, added that the Chinese trip will take place during the first week of September.
The president’s aide said that the China trip is part of the administration’s efforts to uplift the wellbeing of Nigerians.
According to him, In China, Tinubu is expected to meet with President Xi Jinping of China where Some Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed.
He noted that aside from that, the President will meet 10 Chief Executive Officers of companies in Oil and gas, Aluminum production, Agriculture and Satellite Technology.
The aide added that this firms have “assets management totalling over $3 trillion US dollars across multiple sectors of the economy, including information and communications technology, Refining, Oil and Gas, Aluminum Production, Seaport Construction, Harbour construction and Dredging Services, Satellite Technology Development, and many other critical sectors”.
“Mr. President, will conduct site visits to two major Chinese corporations; Huawei Technologies, as well as the China Rail and Construction Corporation, (CRCC). This is with a view to achieve one of Mr. President’s top agenda, which is the completion of the Ibadan to Abuja segment of the Lagos to Kano high speed rail line.”
While in China, President Tinubu will also meet with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, where several MOUs will be signed involving agreements in deepening cooperation, “in green economy, agriculture, satellite technology development, media enterprise development and promotion, as well as blue Economic Development and National Planning Cooperation.
“This is going to be part of a broader engagement where the two heads of state will discuss matters of mutual interest across, not just the economy, but also on issues of national, regional and international security.”
Ngelale noted that Tinubu would also join the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit, where several African heads of state will be present to engage with Chinese leaders on various important matters.
“At this FOCAC Summit, President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, will deliver remarks on behalf of the region and certainly would proceed to the high level peace and security plenary, where he will further deliver remarks on peace and security in the region and in Africa in his capacity as the President of Nigeria.”
“This engagement is expected to yield very tangible, immediate and future dividends for the sake of the Nigerian economy and for the benefit of the Nigerian people and the President is placing a premium on deliverables, ensuring that this is not a talk-shop, but that this is something that will yield results for our people, justifying any expenditure that is made during the course of this trip.”
The trip comes amid a rift between Nigeria and a Chinese firm which seized presidential aircraft over alleged breach of contract.
