The Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, has called for better bilateral cooperation and stronger ties between Nigeria and China, saying the two countries should work towards exceeding the current bilateral trade volume of Thirteen Billion Naira.
The Speaker made this known in Abuja on Tuesday when Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhang Qingwei, visited him at his office in company of the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, and other officials of the Chinese parliament and embassy.
Speaker Abbas also noted that while the House has over 70 parliamentary friendship groups, the Nigeria-China Parliamentary Friendship Group has remained the most active and beneficial among them.
The Speaker said the visit provides an invaluable opportunity to explore ways of deepening the ties between the Nigerian National Assembly and the Parliament of China. He noted that the House has already taken proactive steps by establishing the Nigeria-China Friendship Group, which is actively fostering closer ties and promoting bilateral cooperation.
Speaker Abbas said that the Nigerian Government, led by President Bola Tinubu, remains committed to advancing Nigeria’s partnership with China.
Speaker Abbas added that the Nigeria-China Friendship Group can be pivotal in negotiating legislative incentives that attract Chinese investments into critical sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and agriculture.
He said this can be complemented by efforts to develop a bilateral legislative framework that enhances trade relations, reduces barriers to Nigerian exports, and creates sustainable mechanisms to improve trade balances.
In his speech, Qingwei called for better cooperation between China and Nigeria especially between the countries’ legislatures. He also sought more bilateral deals to inject fresh ideas from both sides.