The Chinese language Embassy has defined its One-China Concept, urging the Nigerian media to tell apart between reporting on Taiwan and outlines that counsel the island is a sovereign nation break away China.
Talking all the way through a gathering with media executives in Lagos, Mr. Xu Fan, Director of Bilateral Members of the family and Trade on the Chinese language Consulate Common in Lagos,
mentioned China’s place on Taiwan used to be rooted in historic information, global agreements and the diplomatic framework established after the 2d Global Warfare.
He cited United Countries Common Meeting Solution 2758 of 1971 and Nigeria’s diplomatic popularity of the Other folks’s Republic of China, whilst keeping up that the One-China Concept remained the political basis of diplomatic family members between Beijing and Abuja.
Fan famous that Nigeria reaffirmed its dedication to the primary all the way through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state consult with to China in September 2024.
He clarified that China didn’t object to Nigerian media reporting on Taiwan however used to be serious about terminology that may be interpreted as recognising the island as a sovereign state.
The reason brought on a powerful alternate with Nigerian media executives, who stressed out the significance of editorial independence and the wish to maintain the liberty of newshounds to record problems within the public hobby.
The dialogue, which additionally tested Nigeria-China family members, industry, funding and media cooperation, underscored the significance of debate between Chinese language diplomatic establishments and Nigerian media organisations.
The consultation used to be convened through Hon. Peter Ogbonna Eze, consultant of Buffalo and Bay Media, and featured Ambassador Anderson Madubike, a former Nigerian Prime Commissioner to Australia, former Consul Common in Shanghai, China, and previous Chargé d’Affaires to South Africa.
Previous, Eze described Nigeria-China family members as a partnership that had expanded past conventional diplomatic engagement to surround infrastructure, industry, training, generation, agriculture, funding and people-to-people exchanges.
He advised media organisations to record the connection with accuracy, stability and context, stressing that knowledgeable public discourse used to be crucial to maximising the advantages of bilateral cooperation.
“The media does now not simply record occasions. It shapes how societies perceive international locations, humans, insurance policies and alternatives,” Eze mentioned.
Madubike, on his section, drawing on his diplomatic enjoy, described Nigeria-China family members as powerful, bringing up the in depth diplomatic, business and infrastructure ties between the 2 international locations.
He mentioned the media had a crucial position in maintaining diplomatic family members through shaping public perceptions, offering dependable data and selling mutual figuring out.
“International relations opens doorways, however the media assists in keeping the ones doorways open,” he mentioned.
Consistent with him, treaties and executive agreements by myself can not maintain long-term relationships between countries with out public figuring out and engagement.
The diplomat additionally stressed out the significance of reporting the human measurement of Nigeria-China family members, together with the studies of Nigerian scholars, marketers and investors in China, in addition to Chinese language buyers, engineers and industry operators in Nigeria.
He famous that credible details about markets, rules, infrastructure, incentives and funding alternatives may inspire industry partnerships and toughen financial ties.
The interplay additionally featured issues in regards to the industry imbalance between Nigeria and China, import dependence and proceedings through Nigerian investors that some Chinese language companies have been competing with them within the retail marketplace.
Responding, Xu stated the troubles however argued that the answer will have to contain organising clearer regulatory barriers between wholesale and retail operations fairly than apart from Chinese language companies from Nigeria.
He mentioned the Chinese language Embassy had engaged Chinese language investors, marketplace government and different stakeholders to discover sensible answers.
Xu additionally advocated a shift from a courting ruled through industry in completed merchandise against better Chinese language funding in native production.
He mentioned Chinese language firms may determine extra factories and manufacturing amenities in Nigeria to create jobs, switch talents and give a contribution to the rustic’s business building.
The Chinese language diplomat disclosed that bilateral industry reached roughly $28 billion in 2025, describing the determine as proof of the rising financial courting between each international locations.
He additionally mentioned China had transform Nigeria’s biggest marketplace for engineering contractors, its second-largest export marketplace and China’s third-largest buying and selling spouse in Africa.
Xu additional highlighted China’s choice to increase zero-tariff remedy to 53 African international locations with which it maintains diplomatic family members, together with Nigeria.
He mentioned the coverage offered alternatives for Nigerian agricultural merchandise, together with sesame, cashew nuts and cocoa, to realize better get right of entry to to the Chinese language marketplace, matter to acceptable laws of starting place, inspection and quarantine necessities.
He advised Nigerian companies to make stronger product high quality, toughen branding and profit from alternatives within the Chinese language marketplace.
The problem of unlawful mining involving some Chinese language nationals in Nigeria additionally featured prominently within the discussions.
Xu outstanding between law-abiding Chinese language companies and folks fascinated by unlawful actions, insisting that violations of Nigerian regulation have been unacceptable to the Chinese language executive and diplomatic government.
He mentioned the Chinese language Embassy and related government have been cooperating with Nigerian establishments through offering data and supporting efforts to spot Chinese language nationals fascinated by unlawful mining.
Consistent with him, the Chinese language executive would now not defend folks discovered to have violated Nigerian rules.
Members also known as for deeper Chinese language funding in production, generation switch, business building and native price addition, arguing that bilateral cooperation will have to ship extra advantages to Nigeria past infrastructure building and the importation of completed items.
The dialogue highlighted the desire for a partnership that promotes native manufacturing, employment, talents building and technological development.
On media freedom, Nigerian executives reiterated that editorial independence remained a elementary idea of journalism and that disagreements over delicate diplomatic problems will have to be addressed via discussion, rationalization and the proper of answer.
In his concluding remarks, Xu described Nigerian media organisations as “companions and pals, now not enemies.”
He introduced to toughen cooperation with Nigerian media via skilled exchanges, coaching programmes, seminars, media delegations and different institutional tasks.
He mentioned Chinese language government would proceed to facilitate alternatives for Nigerian newshounds to consult with China, enjoy its building and acquire a deeper figuring out of its society, tradition, economic system and political machine.
Xu additionally invited taking part media organisations to suggest sensible joint tasks, together with media programmes, publications {and professional} alternate initiatives.
The engagement highlighted the alternatives and demanding situations in Nigeria-China family members, specifically the wish to reconcile diplomatic sensitivities with the rules of editorial independence and accountable journalism.
Members agreed that sustained discussion, correct reporting and more potent people-to-people engagement have been crucial to construction mutual consider and making sure that the bilateral courting delivered better advantages to each international locations.