By Vivian Emoni

The Federal Government and Chinese Government have elevated bilateral relations to strengthen trade and digital economy towards fostering opportunities across both countries.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Nura Rimi, made this known in Abuja, while receiving a delegation from Zhejiang Province, China.

Rimi said that the engagement would advance regional cooperation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation was led by Mrs Wu Jing, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Congress.

Rimi said that the purpose of the visit was to discuss issues bothering on practical cooperation and broadening engagement across key sectors in the country.

He said that the sectors include textile, infrastructure, digital trade, fintech, hospitality, tourism, renewable energy, and the creative economy.

According to him, Nigeria and China elevate bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership, strengthening trade, digital economy and regional collaboration

“Both countries have further deepened their longstanding friendship, with relations officially elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership during the September 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit.

“This milestone underscores the commitment of both nations to expanding bilateral ties, fostering economic opportunities and advancing regional cooperation,” he said.

Rimi highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to the One-China Policy and the strengthening of ties through platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and FOCAC.

While drawing parallels between Nigeria’s eight-point agenda and Zhejiang’s Double Eight Strategy, he emphasised the importance of regional cooperation across Nigeria’s geo-political zones to drive economic growth.

He said that the engagement would also focus on digital trade, adding that five of Africa’s nine unicorn companies were headquartered in Nigeria.

He expressed optimism about leveraging the strength for deeper cooperation in digital economy development, technological advancement and talent exchange.

Rimi encouraged broader Chinese investment in Nigeria’s renewable energy and hospitality sectors, and called for deeper sub-national collaborations.

Speaking earlier, Jing reaffirmed Zhejiang’s commitment to mutual cooperation with Nigeria.

She noted the province’s position as a trailblazer in China’s economic reforms, with a regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of nine trillion yuan in 2024.

According to her, 1,417 Zhejiang enterprises have invested approximately 320.3 million dollars in Nigeria, while 438 Nigerian businesses have invested 117.5 million dollars in Zhejiang.

She called on Nigerian stakeholders to participate in trade expos and digital forums, including the upcoming Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou.

The two countries, however, expressed a strong desire to continue dialogue beyond the symbolic meeting, pledging to establish formal channels for exploring strategic investment areas. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Kadiri Abdulrahman