By Cross Udo, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu is expected to meet with the President of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing by the first week of September, the presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, has said
Although there was no specific date for the President’s departure to Beijing, Chief Ngelale said the Nigerian leader would engage in a series of meetings with his Chinese counterpart and 10 Chief Executive Officers and CEOs of different major corporations for the country’s economic benefit.
He said that President Tinubu would also engage in bilateral agreements and sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements to deepen corporations in various sectors, including the green economy, blue economic development, and national planning cooperation.
He also said that national, regional, and international security issues would be discussed, adding that other areas of concern during his visit would be the completion of the Abuja to Ibadan segment of the Lagos-Kaduna standard railway.
The presidential spokesman further added that issues related to information technology, refining, oil and gas, and satellite technology would be on the front burner.
He said, “Ladies and gentlemen of the press, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will depart for the People’s Republic of China, most specifically, Beijing, from the nation’s capital within the first week of September, to engage in a series of meetings and activities with an immediate and future benefit to the Nigerian economy and the Nigerian people.
“First and foremost, His Excellency, Mr. President, will conduct site visits to two major Chinese corporations: Huawei Technologies and the China Rail and Construction Corporation (CRCC).
“This is to achieve one of Mr. President’s top agenda items, which is the completion of the Ibadan to Abuja segment of the Lagos to Kano high-speed rail line.
“After that, His Excellency, Mr. President, will meet 10 selected chief executive officers of 10 major Chinese corporations with assets under management totalling over $3trn across multiple sectors of the economy, including information and communications technology, refining oil and gas, aluminum production, seaport construction, harbour construction, and dredging services, financial services, satellite technology development, as well as many other critical sectors.
“Mr President will also meet with his Chinese counterpart in the person of President Xi Jinping, where several MOUs will be signed. The MOUs will involve agreements in deepening cooperation in the green economy, agriculture, satellite technology development, media enterprise development and promotion, blue economic development, and national planning cooperation.
“This will be part of a broader engagement where the two heads of state will discuss matters of mutual interest across not just the economy but also national, regional, and international security issues.”
The presidential spokesman said, “His Excellency, Mr. President, will then join the FOCAC Summit, where several African heads of state will be present to engage with Chinese leaders on various important matters.
“At this FOCAC Summit, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, will deliver remarks on behalf of the region and certainly would proceed to the high-level peace and security plenary, where he will further deliver remarks on peace and security in the region and in Africa in his capacity as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This engagement is expected to yield very tangible, immediate, and future dividends for the sake of the Nigerian economy and the benefit of the Nigerian people, and the President is placing a premium on deliverables, ensuring that this is not a talk-shop, but that this is something that will yield results for our people, justifying any expenditure that is made during this trip.”
