Ms. Yan Yuqing
About the BRICS summit, I would like to highlight to our
Nigerian friends three practical proposals announced by Chinese President Xi
Jinping: “Initiative on Supporting Africa’s Industrialization” “Plan for China
Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization” and “Plan for China-Africa
Cooperation on Talent Development”, which includes training 500 principals and
high-caliber teachers of vocational colleges every year, and 10,000 technical
personnel with both Chinese language and vocational skills for Africa, and
inviting 20,000 government officials and technicians of African countries to
participate in workshops and seminars.
These three major proposals cover areas that are urgently
needed for Africa’s modernization and are a vivid manifestation of China’s
practical support for Africa’s development. We believe that these Chinese
initiatives and approaches will greatly promote Nigeria’s economic and social
development and push China-Nigeria cooperation in various fields to a new level.
These three proposals highlight the principle of sincerity,
real results, amity, and good faith of China-Africa friendship. This year marks
the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s first visit to Africa, and the
10th anniversary of his putting forward the principles of China’s Africa policy
– sincerity, real results, amity, good faith, and pursuing the greater good and
shared interests. China-Africa friendship has grown into a big tree with
flourishing leaves under the diligent watering of both sides. Political mutual
trust is becoming stronger, practical cooperation is fruitful, and cultural
exchanges are closer than ever before.
As an old Chinese saying goes, “Take the utmost sincerity as
the way and the utmost benevolence as the virtue”. The three proposals have hit
the key point of Africa’s development, focused on the cultivation of African
talents, and kept eyes on Africa’s long-term prosperity, covering a wide range
of fields, a large number of opportunities, and a clear direction to the future.
Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at
the Nyerere International Conference Centre in Tanzania, mentioning that China
will keep every commitment it has made to Africa, both in letter and in spirit.
Ten years later, the three proposal once again proves that China will not be a
hypocritical ally of Africa that only “pays lip service”, but will be a true
friend that always “walks the walk”
Better to teach a man how to fish than give him fish”, adds
color to China-Africa cooperation for mutual benefit and win-win results.
President Xi Jinping has stressed that there are various paths leading to
modernization. Africans have the most say on which path suits Africa best.
China’s series of investment and talent cultivation projects in Nigeria have
always adhered to mutual benefit and a win-win initiative.
It has also advocated intensive and sustainable development,
upgraded from “blood transfusion” to “blood creation” assistance, focused on
“teaching people to fish”, and helped the Nigerian side “build nests to attract
phoenixes”. Last year, China’s total trade with Africa reached US$282 billion,
an increase of 11.1 percent year-on-year, maintaining its position as Africa’s
largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years.
Bilateral trade between China and Nigeria reached US$23.9
billion, and close to US$13 billion in the first seven months of 2023,
accounting for 8.4 percent of China-Africa trade. Nigeria has become China’s
second-largest trading partner in Africa after South Africa.
Achieving modernization is the urgent hope of Nigeria and
even the entire African continent. China will be committed to being a fellow
traveler in the development and revitalization process of China and Africa,
taking concrete actions to reflect China’s firm position of always standing
with African countries, and demonstrating China’s sincere desire to achieve
common development and prosperity with developing countries and live a good
life together.
Three months ago, I arrived in beautiful Lagos as the 8th
Consular General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos. During this
period, I have witnessed the well-being of Nigerian society and people’s
livelihood created by Chinese-invested projects such as Lekki deep-sea Port,
Lagos Blue Line Rail Project, Lekki and Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone.
I have felt the thumbs-up given by local people to
Chinese-funded enterprises, such as China Civil Engineering Construction
Corporation (CCECC), and China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, and the
high recognition of Chinese brands such as Huawei, Tecno, and Infinix. I was
touched by the
joint performance of China National Traditional Orchestra and Huaxing Arts Troupe
which reflects “the Initiative of Sharing Chinese Harmony and Performing
Nigeria-China Symphony”.
I experienced the inauguration ceremony of the Confucius
Institute Alumni Association of Nigeria and listened to the talented teachers
and students of the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University singing
the theme song of the Chengdu World University Games. Every vivid faces made me
even more certain that China-Nigeria mutually beneficial cooperation will have
broad prospects and great potential.
The BRICS mechanism is the bright color that ignites
infinite hope for the future of China and Africa. President Bola Tinubu adopted
“Renewed Hope” as his election slogan, seeking to provide equality of
opportunity, social justice, and prosperity for Nigerian people. The Nigerian
proverb “No matter how long the moon disappears, someday it must shine again”
is also full of people’s hope and aspiration for a better future, and the BRICS
cooperation provides unlimited possibilities for African countries to fulfill
this hopeful vision.
At the 15th BRICS summit, the Argentine Republic, the Arab
Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic
Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are
invited to become full members of BRICS, other developing countries that are
willing to become BRICS partner countries and meet the conditions will also be
welcomed. This is the biggest highlight of the BRICS summit and a major
historic moment in the development process of BRICS.
In the current context of turbulent changes and emerging
risks and challenges in the world, more than 60 leaders of African countries
and other emerging markets and developing countries were invited to gather in
South Africa this time, which fully reflects the strong appeal of BRICS
cooperation.
Nigerians often say, “Hold a true friend with both hands”.
Taking a cue from this, a Chinese saying buttresses that, “True friendship
exists only when there is an abiding commitment to pursue common goals.” For
decades, China and Nigeria have been firmly holding hands in friendship and
have written countless touching stories between both countries. At the
beginning of our new journey, we hope that China and Nigeria will continue to
work hand in hand under the leadership of the three proposals of the BRICS
Summit and write a new chapter of China-Africa cooperation in the new era
together.
Ms. Yan Yuqing is Consul General of the People’s Republic of
China in Lagos.