PRESS RELEASE ON THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE CHINESE

PREMIER H.E. MR. LI KEQIANG TO NIGERIA 6TH - 8TH MAY, 2014

By Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to announce the scheduled official visit to Nigeria by the Chinese Premier H.E. Mr. LI Keqiang, who will be leading a high powered 129-member delegation consisting of top government officials and captains of industry from 6th-8th May, 2014. The visiting Premier will be hosted by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria H.E. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.

During the three-day official visit, which is part of the four-nation tour of Africa and indeed the first to Africa by the Premier since he assumed headship of the government of the People's Republic of China, H.E. Mr. LI Keqiang will also attend the Plenary Session of the World Economic Forum for Africa before departing Nigeria for the next leg of his African tour.

Nigeria and China established diplomatic relations in 1971. Since then the bilateral relations between the two countries have grown progressively over the years to the mutual benefits of their two peoples. While in Nigeria, the Governments of the two countries will sign six major Agreements/MoUs including:-

i) Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

ii) Hand-over and acceptance certificate for the Malaria Diagnosis Equipment and Consumables for China-Nigeria Anti-Malaria Centre;

iii) Exchange of letters for China-Aided Nigeria Anti-Malaria Drugs Programme;

iv) Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

v) Memorandum of Understanding Between Food and Drug Administration of the People's Republic of China and National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration (NAFDAC) and Control of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Regulatory Cooperation of Pharmaceutical products, Medical Devices and Cosmetics, and,

vi) Agreement on special facility for the development of African SMEs with Nigeria banking sector.

In addition, several other Agreements/MoUs have been slated to be concluded by the organized private sectors of the two countries.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Abuja
29th April, 2014