By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has begun high-level economic discussions with the President of China, Xi Jinping.
Tinubu, who arrived in Beijing, China, on Sunday, is leading a Nigerian delegation to bilateral and multilateral meetings with China.
This was made known in a statement issued by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Olusegun Dada.
The presidential aide also confirmed that Tinubu is expected to sign a Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with his Chinese counterpart, Jinping.
Also, the Nigerian President, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), will speak on behalf of the region in the multilateral talks between West African leaders and the Chinese President.
The President will conduct site visits to two major Chinese corporations: Huawei Technologies, as well as the China Rail and Construction Corporation (CRCC). This tour is to return focus to the completion of the Ibadan to Abuja segment of the Lagos to Kano high-speed rail line, one of the key objectives of this visit.
Tinubu is due to meet with 10 selected chief executive officers of 10 major Chinese corporations with assets under management totalling over $3 trillion across multiple sectors of the economy, including information and communications technology, refining, oil and gas, aluminium production, seaport construction, harbour construction and dredging services, financial services, satellite technology development, as well as many other critical sectors.
Some of the MOUs to be signed between the two countries are in areas of deepening cooperation in green economy, agriculture, satellite technology development, media enterprise development and promotion, as well as blue economic development and national planning cooperation.
