By John Azu
The Chinese Government has pledged to deepen cooperation with Nigeria, strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two countries and promote shared development and prosperity.
The Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Zhou Hongyou, made the commitment on Thursday at the opening of the China-Nigeria Food Festival, themed “From Farm to Feast,” in Abuja.
Zhou said China was ready to work with Nigeria to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit and advance the Global Civilization Initiative.
He said the two countries had begun implementing their comprehensive strategic partnership with strong momentum and were entering a “fast track” of high-quality development under the leadership of Presidents Xi Jinping and Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Looking ahead, China is ready to work with Nigeria to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and the Global Civilization Initiative, having begun implementing our comprehensive strategic partnership with strong momentum, entering a ‘fast track’ of high-quality development under the leadership of Presidents Xi Jinping and Bola Tinubu,” he said.
The Chinese envoy said economic and trade relations between the two countries had continued to expand, citing increased Chinese imports from Nigeria and growth in bilateral trade.
“Take economic and trade cooperation, for example: in the first half of this year, China imported about $2.3 billion worth of goods from Nigeria—an 80 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Our total trade reached $18 billion, up 35 per cent year-on-year,” he said.
Zhou also highlighted China’s decision to introduce a zero-tariff policy for African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, describing the measure as an opportunity for Nigeria to increase its exports to the Chinese market.
“On May 1, China announced a zero-tariff policy for African countries that have diplomatic ties with us. This is a great chance for Nigeria to expand its exports to China,” he said.
Beyond trade and investment, Zhou said food and culinary traditions provided an important avenue for strengthening cultural understanding between the two countries.
He described food as an important part of Chinese daily life, saying each dish reflects aspects of the country’s history, geography and culture, while different flavours tell stories about the people and their way of life.
According to him, China’s vast geographical landscape and diverse climates have produced distinct culinary traditions across its regions.
He explained that northern Chinese cuisine features quick stir-frying, rich sauces and wheat-based foods, while cooking in the northeast commonly involves stewing, deep-frying and braising.
The northwest, he said, has a strong preference for beef and mutton, while central China is known for sour, spicy, aromatic and fresh flavours.
In eastern China, emphasis is often placed on preserving the natural taste of ingredients, while southern cuisine is characterised by fresh ingredients and slow-cooked soups.
He added that southwestern China is known for bold, numbing spiciness and the extensive use of spices.
“Food is really a great window to understand China’s geography, culture, and its people,” Zhou said.
In her remarks, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, commended the organisers of the festival, describing it as an opportunity to deepen cultural ties between Nigeria and China.
Musawa said the ministry was strengthening the foundations of Nigeria’s creative economy through policy and financing frameworks, stakeholder engagement and institutional reforms.
She said the government had ambitious targets aimed at increasing the creative sector’s contribution to national output while creating more opportunities for young Nigerians.
“As Nigeria and China celebrate 55 years of friendship, let us use food to open new doors of cooperation in gastronomy, tourism, hospitality, cultural exchange, culinary education and creative entrepreneurship,” she said.
The Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare Abisoye Fagade, said Nigeria and China were two great civilisations with rich and distinctive culinary traditions and a shared understanding that food could bring people together.
Fagade said the festival provided a platform for Nigerians and Chinese to connect through cuisine, music, arts, crafts and hospitality.
“This festival provides a platform for Nigerians and Chinese to connect through cuisine, music, arts, crafts and hospitality. It reflects the broader potential of our bilateral relationship, one built not only on trade and diplomacy, but also on cultural exchange, shared knowledge, enterprise and friendship,” he said.
He said cultural exchanges such as the food festival could complement existing diplomatic and economic ties while creating opportunities for knowledge sharing, entrepreneurship and cooperation in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
The festival, he added, underscored the potential of cultural diplomacy to strengthen the 55-year relationship between Nigeria and China and create new avenues for people-to-people connections.