China-Nigeria Cooperation in the New Era
新时代的中尼合作
By H.E. CUI Jianchun, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria
驻尼日利亚大使崔建春
17 January 2023
2023年1月17日
End March of the year 2023 marks the second anniversary of my credentials to Nigeria. This is a country beloved by me, with splendid ancient culture, diversified social formation, colorful natural endowments, peace-loving and hardworking people, and immeasurable development potentials.
今年3月底，将迎来我抵尼日利亚履新两周年的日子。这个国家有着灿烂的古代文化，多元的社会形态，多彩的自然禀赋，善良勤劳的人民，及巨大发展潜力，让我钟情倍至。
Meanwhile, the year 2021, when I kicked off my posting here, marked the 50th anniversary of Nigeria-China diplomatic relations, a unique occasion co-celebrated by both in an extensive manner. The two countries indeed share a lot in similarity, while the most typical one in recent years is that both are entering into a new era of national construction and development.
我抵尼履新的2021年恰逢中尼两国建立外交关系50周年，当时双方围绕这一特别庆典共同举行了广泛庆祝活动。中尼两国确实有很多相似之处，就近年而言，最突出的一点是，两国都进入了国家建设发展的新时代。
Nigeria has gained achievements on national development, by resisting economic recessions, overcoming coronavirus pandemic, coping with humanitarian challenges, and keeping 23 years of uninterrupted democracy process, which make Nigeria as one of the leading countries in Africa. As Ambassador of China, I had several chances to meet and talk with President Buhari, most recently at the ground-breaking ceremony of the new ECOWAS Headquarter building last month. I have been always touched and encouraged by his enthusiasm and determination to the country’s development and people’s wellbeing.
尼日利亚在国家发展方面取得许多成就，有效抵御多轮经济衰退，克服新冠肺炎疫情冲击，妥善应对多种人道挑战，并成功保持了23年不间断的民主进程，这使尼日利亚始终保持非洲领先地位。作为中国大使，我曾多次与布哈里总统会面交谈，最近一次是在上个月中方援建西非国家经济共同体新总部大楼开工仪式上。他对实现国家发展和改善民生福祉的热情和决心，一直让我感动和鼓舞。
Meanwhile, China, under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, who doubles as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the ruling party in China, has eliminated the historical problem of absolute poverty, and achieved moderate prosperity in all respects. In October 2017, “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” was added to the CPC Constitution at its 19th National Congress, a remarkable milestone at China’s national development. Last October, CPC’s 20th National Congress was successfully held. It re-affirmed President Xi’s leadership status, and also brought the entire party and the Chinese people to embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance towards the country’s Second Centenary Goal.
与此同时，中国在中共中央总书记、国家主席习近平的坚强领导下，完成了消除绝对贫困的艰巨任务，全面建成小康社会。2017年10月，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想在中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会上被写入党章，这对国家发展而言具有里程碑意义。去年10月，中国共产党第二十次全国代表大会成功召开，习近平总书记再次当选中共中央总书记，大会进一步确立了习近平总书记在党中央和全党的核心地位，开启了全党全国各族人民全面建设社会主义现代化国家、向国家发展第二个百年奋斗目标奋进的新征程。
As a diplomat, my focus is always on the bilateral cooperation between the host country and my home country. Thus, it’s my pleasure to see that, taking advantages bred by the new era, Nigeria-China pragmatic cooperation in major sectors also witnessed a rapid development, driven by wheels of guiding strategy, trade, investment and contracted projects, development assistance, and initiative of “Sharing Chinese Harmony and Performing Nigeria-China Symphony” (Harmony-Symphony Initiative).
作为外交官，驻在国与我祖国的双边合作始终是我的关注重点。对此，我很高兴地看到，得益于新时代所孕育的重大机遇，尼中主要领域务实合作取得了快速发展，其驱动力主要来自战略规划、贸易、投资和承包工程、发展援助及“共享中国和文化，共奏中尼和乐章”倡议等。
Guiding strategy functions as the fundamental guarantee for cooperation. President Buhari and President Xi have kept close and regular communications through different manners over bilateral relations and multilateral issues of mutual interest, which draws up the general guidance for the two countries’ cooperation. Besides, based on the experience, perception and feelings of my engagement and out-reach with all walks of life of Nigeria, I proposed the Nigeria-China 5-GIST Growth, Development and Progress Strategy, aiming at advancing bilateral relations and cooperation in the next 50 years in a holistic, systematic and comprehensive manner. This strategy has received overwhelming support from both Nigeria and China, and catalyzed our future cooperation.
战略规划是合作的根本保障。布哈里总统与习近平主席通过多种方式，就双边关系和共同关心的多边问题保持密切联系和定期沟通，为两国合作指引了总体方向。同时，根据到任后与尼各界接触的所见、所思、所感，我还提出了中尼5GIST成长发展进步战略。战略旨在以整体、系统和全面的方式推进未来50年双边关系与合作，得到了尼中两国各界的有力支持，将进一步催化双边未来合作。
Trade acts as the engine for cooperation. In 2021, despite the adverse impact of the pandemic, China-Nigeria trade reached 25.68 billion USD, rising 33.3% year on year, and Nigeria’s exports to China reached 3.04 billion USD, rising 22.4% year on year. From 2016 to 2021, this bilateral trade increased by nearly 142%. According to uncompleted statistics, in the first ten months of 2022, the bilateral trade volume reached 20.04 billion USD. Currently, Nigeria is China’s third largest trading partner in Africa, and China is Nigeria’s largest source of imports.
双边贸易是合作的动力引擎。尽管遭受疫情不利影响，中尼2021年双边贸易额仍达256.8亿美元，同比增长33.3%，尼对华的出口达30.4亿美元，同比增长22.4%。从2016年到2021年，中尼双边贸易增长了近142%。另根据不完全统计，去年前十个月，双边贸易额已达200.4亿美元。目前，尼日利亚是中国在非洲的第三大贸易伙伴，而中国是尼日利亚最大的进口来源国。
Investment and contracted projects inject impetus for cooperation. Nigeria is one of the African countries attracting the most investment from China. By 2021, cumulative investment has exceeded 20 billion USD, mainly in construction of free-trade and export-processing zones, oil extraction, home appliances and vehicle assembly, agricultural production, etc. The two free trade zones, Lekki FTZ and Ogun-Guangdong FTZ, have attracted investment of more than 1.51 billion USD and created more than 7,000 jobs opportunities. China is the leading contributor to Nigeria’s infrastructure development. More than 20 Chinese companies are participating in the construction of major projects concerning the economy and people’s livelihood in Nigeria, comprising of railways, roads, electricity, ICT and oil refineries. The Abuja-Kaduna Railway, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway, the new airport terminals, the Lekki deep seaport, the Zungeru Hydropower Station, etc., are making important boosts to the economic and social development of Nigeria.
投资和重大项目为合作注入动能。尼日利亚是吸引中国投资最多的非洲国家之一。截止2021年，中国对尼累计投资超200亿美元，主要流向自由贸易区和出口加工区建设、石油开采、家电和汽车组装、农业生产等领域。莱基自贸区和奥贡广东自贸区已吸引超过15.1亿美元的投资，创造了超过7000余个就业岗位。中国是尼基础设施发展的主要贡献者。20多家中国公司在尼参与了多项涉尼经济和民生重大项目，涵盖铁路、公路、电力、信息通信技术、炼化设施等。阿布贾–卡杜纳铁路、拉各斯–伊巴丹铁路、主要城市新机场航站楼、莱基深水港、宗格鲁水电站等，正在有力提振尼经济和社会发展。
Development assistance provides guarantee for cooperation. At outset of the pandemic, China was the first to offer relief materials in support of Nigeria’s fight against the pandemic. Last year, the new ECOWAS Headquarter building project and the second phase of the Abuja Traffic Lights project have been officially started, and the agricultural technology demonstration center was officially handed over to the Nigerian competent authority. China will continue to support Nigerian people’s pursuit of better life.
发展援助为合作保驾护航。新冠疫情发生之初，中国是国际社会中首个向尼提供援助物资的国家，助力尼有力抗击疫情。去年，西共体总部新大楼项目和阿布贾市区交通灯二期项目正式开工，农业技术示范中心正式移交尼主管部门。中国将继续支持尼民众追寻更美好生活。
Harmony-symphony Initiative stimulates vitality of cooperation. The work and life experience in Nigeria has left with me a deep feeling that, harmony is indeed a common value pursued and cherished by both societies in Nigeria and China, which performs a natural bond for the furtherance of our bilateral cooperation. For the wide application of this harmony philosophy, I put forward the Initiative of Sharing Chinese Harmony and Performing Nigeria-China Symphony early last year, which was warmly received from governmental agencies to academic sector in both countries. The structure of this Initiative is summarized as “four beams and eight columns”. The “four beams” refer to Harmony in Coexistence, Harmony in Integration, Harmony in Diversity, and Harmony in Development. The “eight columns” refer to Kindness & Harmony of Citizen & Nature; Happiness & Friendliness of Family & Society, Unity & Concordance of Nation & Culture, and Peace & Consonance of State & Governance. With this Initiative, the mutual understanding for cooperation between Nigeria and China has been deepened, the foundation of cooperation has been enhanced and the level of cooperation has been scaled up.
和文化和乐章倡议激发合作新活力。在尼工作和生活经历使我深深感受到，和谐是尼中两国社会所追求和珍视的共同价值观，并已成为持续推进两国合作的天然纽带。为推动和谐理念的广泛运用，去年年初我提出了“共享中国和文化，共奏中尼和乐章”倡议，得到了两国政府部门和学术机构的热烈响应。倡议架构可概括为“四梁八柱”，“四梁”包括和谐共生、和通共融、和而不同、和平发展；“八柱”涵盖公民与自然的和善和谐、家庭与社会的和美和悦、民族与文明的和睦和合、国家与治理的和平和声。通过这一倡议，尼中相互理解不断深化，合作基础日益巩固，合作水平稳步提升。
Why could Nigeria and China keep such robust relations and fruitful bilateral cooperation? In my view, Nigeria-China cooperation is the epitome of Africa-China relations. Its essence was summarized by President Xi as the everlasting spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, at the opening session of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in November 2021. This spirit features sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness. At the session, President Xi also proposed to jointly build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, which was unanimously endorsed by African participants.
为什么尼中两国关系能如此充满活力、双边合作能如此成果丰硕呢？在我看来，尼中合作是非中关系的一个缩影，其精髓已由习近平主席在前年11月中非合作论坛第八届部长级会议开幕式上高度概括为中非友好合作精神。这一精神的主要内涵为“真诚友好、平等相待，互利共赢、共同发展，主持公道、捍卫正义，顺应时势、开放包容”。在这次大会上，习近平主席还提出构建新时代中非命运共同体，得到了非洲与会者的一致赞同。
As a proverb goes, “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”. Over the course of pursuing common development and world peace, Nigeria and China should always be good friends and good partners who share weal and woe. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, China will adhere to the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and pursuing the greater good and shared interests, and work together with Nigeria to advance high-quality cooperation and contribute to building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
谚语云，“独行快，众行远”。在追寻共同发展与世界和平的路途中，中国和尼日利亚应始终做同甘共苦的好朋友、好伙伴。中方将在习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想指引下，秉持真实亲诚理念和正确义利观，与尼共同推进高质量合作，为构建新时代中非命运共同体作出贡献。
The year of 2023, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, is the Year of Rabbit, being a symbol of earnestness, optimism, wittiness, longevity and prosperity. As the Chinese new year celebration, also known as the Spring Festival, is approaching later this month, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all Nigerian friends and the Chinese community in Nigeria a happy, healthy and prosperous Chinese new year.
按照中国农历，2023年是癸卯兔年，象征着真诚、乐观、机智、长寿和繁荣。本月下旬将迎来中国新年暨春节的庆祝活动，我愿借此机会，祝愿尼日利亚朋友和在尼中国公民兔年和乐繁荣、幸福安康！