…Envoy urges Nigerian business community to take advantage of investment opportunities in her country
By Josfyn Uba
Ms Yan Yuqing, the Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Nigeria, has urged the Nigerian business community to explore the investment opportunities in China, adding that China has the right environment and welcomes foreign investments in all sectors of the economy. She noted that, since both countries have enjoyed good diplomatic relations for the past 52 years and have so much in common, they have a lot to benefit from each other in commercial activities.
Ms Yuqing noted with optimism that she will continue to sustain and improve on the existing goodwill, strengthen the economic relationship between the Nigerian business community and Chinese investors and maintain friendship between the nations.
In the same vein, she called on Chinese companies to invest more in their CSR activities by giving to the communities where they operate so as to improve the social and economic development of the people. She made this call during her first media interaction a few days after she resumed duty in Nigeria to formally unveil the recreation facility built and donated by Chinese businessmen at the Adeola Odeku axis in the Iru Local Government Area.
Ms. Yuqing said that this gesture truly reflects China’s diplomatic philosophy and their desire to build a stronger relationship between Nigeria and China. She also urged Nigerian youths to be open-minded in assimilating information concerning China and to dismiss the many misleading reports continuously projected by some Western media.
The Chinese envoy stated that China and Nigeria have a long history of friendship and strategic partnership, but that the erroneous impression created by Western media against Chinese people is a challenge to the bilateral relationship between China and Nigeria.
She said: “The challenge we’ve had is that many Nigerian people, especially young people, don’t have a clear and true understanding of China. This happens because some Western media have fabricated rumours to distort the image of China.
“For example, there are rumours that China is threatening the security of the world and that the Chinese people are exploiting the sources of the African continent. These are not true, and the facts prove that in everything China has done, the main purpose of all our efforts is to bring development and a better life to local people.
“The most fundamental thing that we need to do is to increase the people-to-people exchanges, especially among Nigerian youths, to build mutual trust and help them better understand the real China. So I think understanding each other is the key to bolstering the existing cordial friendship.”
She further urged Nigerian youths to visit China and to communicate with the Chinese people so they can understand the values and principles of China people.
“The Chinese government has offered Fellowship programmes to Nigerians that could take them to China for further study. And through this overseas study, Nigeria young people would be more skilled and empowered to help us build bilateral relations”, she added.
Yan, who is the first woman Consul-General, expressed excitement about her new role and vowed to explore ways to sustain and improve on the existing goodwill between China and Nigeria.
“China and Nigeria share a lot of business and economic bonds. And we will continue to explore ways to deepen our bilateral relationship.
“During the pandemic, the two countries held on well. China and the Chinese governments donated health products like masks and vaccines to Nigeria to help them get through the pandemic. The future is bright, as we also look for opportunities in public health.
“You may have heard of traditional Chinese medicine, which is getting more and more popular nowadays all over the world. So, I hope the traditional Chinese medicine could help Nigerian people to get rid of some difficult diseases,” the envoy added.
Speaking on the recreation park built and donated by three Chinese contractors to the residents of Victoria Island, Consul Yan described the project as a vivid example, that Chinese companies are not only about making profits but also focused on how to improve the living environments of the local people.The Victoria Island project donated by three Chinese companies – BGP/CNPC International Nigeria Ltd, XCMG Automotive Nigeria Ltd and Anhui Construction Engineering Group, is the rebuilding of a dirty, filthy and smelly spot just opposite the Chinese Consulate on Idejo Street, by Adeola Odeku, into a clean and beautiful recreation park, befitting of a highbrow neighbourhood. Responding, Afoladi Taofeek, an official from the Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, thanked the Chinese donors for their generosity in building the recreational centre, thus giving a facelift to a location feared for being a hideout for miscreants.