If the next half-century of China-Nigeria bilateral relations will be written by anyone, it will be by the youth. That was the message at the China-Nigeria Youth Exchange Seminar on “China-Africa Community with a Shared Future” held Monday, June 1, at the China Cultural Centre, Abuja.

Organised by the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria and jointly hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the seminar brought together youths, professionals, diplomats, government officials, and public figures from both countries to translate the September 2024 FOCAC commitments into a youth-led road map.

The high point of the event occurred when the seminar broke into three panel discussions structured to shadow FOCAC’s priority areas: Strategic Cooperation and Public Diplomacy, Mutually Beneficial and Pragmatic Cooperation, and People-to-People Exchanges and Connectivity.

Delivering his keynote speech, Mr. Zhou Hong You, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, framed the seminar around outcomes of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), while the focal point of his message was directed at the youths of both countries present. He noted that China-Nigeria relations had been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, raising vistas for trade, investment, and cultural exchange.

”This year also marks 55 years of China-Nigeria diplomatic ties. China is working with all brothers and sisters across Africa, including Nigeria, to build a greater political trust, expand practical cooperation, and deepen cooperation for generations to come. For instance, to deliver on the FOCAC Beijing Summit Outcomes, starting May 1 this year, just a month ago, we introduced zero tariffs on all imports from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China. We have also upgraded the Green Channel so more African products can enter the Chinese market and benefit from China’s huge opportunities,” he said and continued.

Young people in all countries should develop a global vision, enhance their awareness of cooperation through education, and work together for a better future for mankind. You are leaders and pioneers in your fields.I hope you will become storytellers of China-Nigeria and China-Africa cooperation, sharing our vision of building cooperation with the world. Use your voices and platforms to build broader support, inspiring more young people from both sides, and advance China-Nigeria’s cooperation. To all of you, as you pursue your dreams, I hope you will grow from participants into champions and real practitioners of our partnerships and community of shared future,” he stated.

Also speaking at the seminar, the Director of Education and Youth Development at the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Despan Kwardem, described it as an important step towards strengthening ties between Chinese and Nigerian youth.

He emphasized that both countries do not only possess a youthful population, but also skilled and digitally savvy citizens, making youth cooperation very significant for future prosperity.

”From the ministry’s perspective, it is a welcome development because it gives us the priceless opportunity to begin to see how we can have a structured relationship connecting our young people with Chinese young people.”

Mr. Despan also noted that, besides benefiting from and leveraging Chinese technology, Nigerian youths could benefit from direct knowledge transfer through exchange programmes, training opportunities, and innovation partnerships.

Most of what we use in Nigeria is technology from China. With well-structured ties and exchanges, the partnership should not only make us end-users of Chinese technology but also enable us to break new grounds for our young people to acquire the knowledge behind those technologies,” he stated.

Responding to concerns raised by Nigerians during the panel discussions, Counsellor and Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Yang Jianxing, stated that bilateral cooperation delivers concrete benefits through key infrastructure and premium products.

Counsellor Yang noted that some concrete measures are being implemented to boost youth employment and empower creative industries in Nigeria. Clarifying that Chinese companies operating in Nigeria, including CCECC and CGC, are actively providing internship and training opportunities for Nigerian youths, including members of the NYSC, while over 1,000 Nigerians participate annually in short-term training programmes in China across key development sectors.

‘’Further, in an attempt to strengthen cultural ties, the Chinese embassy has announced plans to host a China-Nigeria Fashion Show, Food Festival, and Film Festival later this year,’’ he said.

Suffice it to state that as China and Nigeria deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, officials from both sides agree on one point: the durability and strength of that partnership will depend on how well the next generation understands, communicates, benefits from the partnership, and tells the story.