Chinese premier meets Nigerian president

BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday met with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit.

Li said China stands ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Nigeria, and give full play to the overall planning and coordinating roles played by the China-Nigeria Intergovernmental Committee.

Under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China will deepen cooperation with Nigeria in areas of infrastructure construction, finance, agriculture and fisheries, and expand cooperation in marine economy, clean energy and digital economy, he noted.

Li expressed China's willingness to import more quality products from Nigeria, increase bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation, enhance coordination in multilateral fields, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and uphold international fairness and justice.

China and Nigeria on Tuesday announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Tinubu said that the comprehensive strategic partnership was established on the basis of treating each other as equals as well as reciprocity and mutual benefit.

Nigeria will work with China to enhance exchanges and cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, manufacturing, education and culture, and tap cooperation potentials for greater development in bilateral relations from a new starting point, he added.