By Naomi Uzor
The Consul General of the people’s Republic of China in Lagos, Mr Guo Kun said that the volume of bilateral trade between Nigeria and China in 2009 grew steadily to $6.373 billion.

In a parley with newsmen recently, Kun disclosed that in the past few years, the bilateral trade between Nigeria and China has grown steadily, adding that, in 2009, export to Nigeria was $5.476b, while import from Nigeria stood at $0.897b, noting that  this represents an increase of 76.3 per cent compared to 2008.

He said the most important reason for China surplus with Nigeria is due to different economic structures of the two countries, stressing that, manufacture is an important part of China’s economy while Nigeria oil industry is the prime sector.

“However, very limited crude oil is currently exported to China, this naturally creates the imbalance of the trade, but Chinese and Nigerian governments are committed to solve the problem by cooperation. Mechanical and electronic products, textiles, light-industrial products constitutes the major commodities which China exports to Nigeria. The major commodities China imports from Nigeria contains agricultural products, minerals, textile raw materials, and we wish we can have further cooperation in the field of energy and infrastructure etc ” he stated.
According to him, China government always encourages Chinese companies to invest in Nigeria and provide subsidy, preferential policies in tax and subsidized interest to companies which invest in Nigeria and that China has already invested 7.24 billion dollars and created more than 30,000 jobs for Nigeria.
“Among them, Lekki Free Trade Zone is a good example, If this project becomes successful, Nigeria’s capability of manufacture will be largely enhanced, which definitely will contribute Nigeria export. Also, Chinese government spares no effort to provide convenience to Nigeria investors in China” he said.

Furthermore, he said, the blueprint for the future is to enhance political mutual trust to promote strategic cooperation, expand cooperation in area including agriculture, energy, electricity, infrastructural construction, telecommunications and satellite to achieve reciprocity and win-win, to expand cultural exchanges and cooperation and jointly combat various diseases including malaria and bird flu, to strengthen cooperation in international affairs to promote world peace, enhance coordination and cooperation on major international issues such as the reform of the United Nations, human rights, anti-terrorism and peacekeeping and promote South-South and South-North dialogues. to jointly safeguard the just rights and interests of developing countries.