How I helped establish Nigeria- China relations, by Gowon

Online gala holds today to mark 50th anniversary

FORMER Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon ( rtd.), has explained how his regime helped establish bilateral relations between Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China.

Gowon spoke at an event to mark the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship organised by the Centre for China Studies and Chinese Embassy in Nigeria.

Speaking on the theme ‘ Nigeria and China at 50:

Reflections and the Way Forward’, Gowon said there were lots of preliminary contacts and engagements from 1966 that preceded the diplomatic relationship between the two countries on February 10, 1971.

Gowon, who was Head of State between 1966 and 1975, was the first Nigerian leader to visit China in 1974.

China is considered one of Nigeria’s closest allies and partners as well as an important trading and export partner with a trade volume of about $ 19 billion as at 2019.

The ex- military leader noted that the assistance Nigeria gave to China to see the latter’s admission into the United Nations as both member of the UN General Assembly and Security Council firmly established the bilateral relationship between both countries.

“That ultimately earned Nigeria a welcome state visit to Beijing in 1974. It included a rare visit to Chairman Mao at his home by the Nigerian delegation led by me, with my wife Victoria; the Foreign Minister, Dr. Arikpo, the Permanent Secretary and Nigerian first Ambassador to China, Aminu Sanusi,” he said.

Charge d’affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Zhao Yong, said over the past 50 years, the mutually beneficial China- Nigeria economic and trade relations enjoyed a robust development.