Akpabio Advocates for Stronger Parliamentary Ties with China

Akpabio made the appeal on Wednesday while receiving the new Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, alongside other officials from the Chinese Embassy, during a courtesy visit to his office.

The Senate President underscored Nigeria’s intention to leverage the outcomes of President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to China and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September. He urged the Chinese government to deepen parliamentary engagement as a pathway to fostering stronger relations.

“We want to urge you to continue in that line of helping to improve diplomatic and trade relations between Nigeria and China, especially by promoting democratic relations through the Parliament,” Akpabio said.

He proposed the establishment of a Nigeria-China Parliamentary Friendship Group to facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster cooperation between the legislative bodies of both nations.

“Nigeria has a lot to learn from China, and we are very prepared to do so. I thank you for visiting the Nigerian Senate. I welcome and assure you of our cooperation to assist in ensuring a fraternal relationship between our two countries,” Akpabio added.

Ambassador Yu Dunhai, in his remarks, highlighted the strong momentum in Nigeria-China relations, noting the significance of President Tinubu’s recent visit to Beijing, which resulted in the signing of several bilateral agreements.

“Cooperation between our legislatures is a very important part of our bilateral relations,” Yu said. “I am looking forward to working with people from all walks of life to translate the important consensus reached by our leaders into action.”

The ambassador also expressed optimism about fostering deeper parliamentary ties, commending the Senate President for his commitment to strengthening Nigeria-China relations.

The meeting further underpinned the importance of legislative diplomacy as a key driver of Nigeria-China relations, which have expanded significantly in trade, infrastructure, and other sectors over recent years.