Kazeem Biriowo, Author at Tribune Online

Nigeria-China relations through the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) have taken significant steps to strengthen their strategic partnership, with a focus on governance and public sector reform. The Nigeria-China forum recently hosted a delegation from the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China(CPC), facilitating an exchange of ideas and best practices in public sector reform. The visit marked a significant milestone in bilateral institutional cooperation, with particular focus on governance, public service reform, investment, and strategic development planning. ALSO READ: US-China drug dispute intensifies as Beijing restricts chemical exports The Chinese delegation was led by Professor Gong Weibin, Vice President of the Central Party School, accompanied by senior officials from key departments within the institution. Also in attendance was His Excellency Ambassador Yu Dunhai, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria. Welcoming the delegation, NCSP Director-General, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, conveyed warm greetings on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the One China Policy and reiterated Nigeria’s desire to build a forward-looking development partnership founded on mutual respect, strategic coordination, and shared prosperity. Mr. Tegbe referenced Nigeria’s active participation in recent China-Africa engagements, including the FOCAC Inter-ministerial Meeting and the China–Africa Economic and Trade Expo. These fora, he noted, have helped further align Nigeria’s development priorities with China’s global cooperation agenda. He commended China’s leadership in promoting South-South cooperation, describing President Xi Jinping’s Ten Partnership Action Points announced at the 2024 FOCAC Summit, as a robust framework for advancing Nigeria’s national development goals. He also highlighted the impact of China’s zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries, which he described as a landmark initiative that would significantly enhance trade flows and industrial competitiveness across the continent. Mr. Tegbe went on to outline Nigeria’s key priority projects, including agricultural value chain development as well as a budding partnership with leading Chinese firms in the vehicle manufacturing sector. In his remarks, Professor Gong expressed sincere appreciation for Nigeria’s warm hospitality and dynamic cultural environment. Despite having spent only a few hours in the country, he remarked on the positive impression Nigeria had made on him, particularly its vibrancy, diversity, and vast potential. Professor Gong provided an overview of the Central Party School’s structure and mandate, emphasizing its critical role in shaping governance and public administration in China. With over 3,600 local branches and a faculty strength exceeding 100,000, the School is a pillar of China’s civil service education system and a key think tank influencing national policy. He explained that the School is responsible for four core functions: training of civil servants and party leaders, theoretical and ideological research, development of social sciences rooted in local context, and policy advisory services. Many faculty members also hold senior roles within the Chinese government, and President Xi Jinping himself previously served as the School’s Principal for five years. Noting the School’s longstanding interest in international exchange, Professor Gong revealed that several Nigerian officials have participated in training programmes over the years. He extended a formal invitation to Tegbe and the NCSP team to visit the Central Party School in Beijing, with the aim of fostering deeper institutional collaboration and knowledge sharing. The meeting concluded with mutual expressions of respect and recognition of the cultural and governance values shared between Nigeria and China, particularly in the areas of family cohesion, public discipline, and long-term development planning. Tegbe described the engagement as timely and enlightening, especially as Nigeria advances reforms in public service delivery and institutional capacity building. He reaffirmed NCSP’s commitment to strengthening people-to-people exchanges, promoting training and learning opportunities, and enhancing bilateral policy innovation with Chinese partners.