President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday linked sustainable development of any country, Nigeria inclusive, to quality infrastructure and that it would be practically impossible for a country with infrastructure deficit to optimize its development potential.
The President made this remark when he received in audience, the State Councillor and Foreign Minister, People’s Republic of China, Mr. Wang Yi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He expressed the Nigerian government’s appreciation to China for supporting the nation’s infrastructure development projects across various sectors of the economy.
He said: “We thank China for its support to us in various ways; in the building of rail, road, power, defence, and many others. You are helping us to reduce our severe infrastructural deficits, and we are glad. There cannot be sustainable development without infrastructural development.”
The President assured that Nigeria would continue to fulfil its bilateral obligations with the People’s Republic of China for “making a big difference” in Nigeria’s infrastructure and other areas’ development.
Earlier, Mr. Wang Yi lauded the “mutual trust and sound personal friendship” between President Buhari and President Xi Jinping of China, which, he said, “has guided the bilateral relationship between our two countries.”
The State Councillor said that China loved to commence the year’s diplomatic work from Africa and that Nigeria was chosen as the first country to be visited in 2021 since the year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He described Nigeria as a country with regional and international influence and that cordial bilateral relations between China and Nigeria derived from the fact that “we trust, understand and support each other.”
The envoy promised that his country would continue to encourage Chinese companies to invest more in Nigeria, while the Chinese government would also be ready to share experience and techniques in areas like the digital economy, defence, and many others, with Nigeria.
