The presidency has confirmed that President Bola Tinubu will make an official visit to the People’s Republic of China in early September.
The planned trip was announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a press briefing on Tuesday in the state house, Abuja.
According to him, the president’s visit is aimed at enhancing economic collaborations between the countries and further attracting investment to the country. The trip is also aimed at strengthening bilateral collaborations between the countries, and the president will pursue key economic opportunities.
The president’s spokesman also disclosed that he would visit the major Chinese companies during his time in the country; he listed some of them as Huawei and the China Rail and Construction Corporation. He noted that the visit will help the government study the business’s successes to replicate them in the country.
It was also disclosed that his visit to the China Rail and Construction Corporation, will accelerate the completion of the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano rail project.
The president will meet with the CEOs of 10 top Chinese corporations during his September visit. The CEOs are said to control over $3 trillion in assets in critical economic sectors such as oil and gas, aluminium production, seaport development, finance, and satellite technology.
He noted that after his departure in the first week of September, his first stop will be Beijing. Ajiri noted that the president’s meetings will benefit the country in the short and long term in the economic sector.
After visiting the critical companies and meeting with the CEOs, the president will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which different Memoranda of Understanding will be signed to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries.
According to the spokesperson, the agreement will target sectors such as the green economy, agriculture, satellite technology, media enterprise development, blue economic initiatives, and national planning collaboration.
He concluded by saying that the meeting would also help by offering opportunities to discuss bigger issues that reflect the two presidents’ mutual interest. These issues include economic partnerships, security at national, regional, and international levels, and other global challenges.
