China is not here to colonise Nigeria, says Confucius Institute

By Adeyera Damilola

A non-profit educational organization, Confucius Institute, affiliated with the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China has stated that China presence in Nigeria and Africa as a whole is not a new form of modern colonialism. The declaration was made at a One Day Symposium organized by the institute.

The event which was themed “Belt & Road and Confucius Institute” had in attendance dignitaries such as Prof. Wang, Prof. Chimbi Maduagwu, Director Confucius Institute University fo Lagos (UNILAG), Chief Jacob C. K. Wood, Amb. Sola Onadipe, former Ambassador of Nigeria to China; Prof. Duro Oni, former Vice chancellor, University of Lagos and a host of other important people.

While delivering her address, Prof. Wang observed that the aim of the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR) is to promote free trade zones to connect production, distribution and the markets.

She said, “The purpose is to bring about share economic prosperity and to promote political stability and one road security one belt one goal is equal to common prosperity. Combination of the Chinese dream with the global dream.

It is a win-win situation. When we talk about the belt and road what we are looking at the fact is not Africa will always follow this principle. China will always stand with African brothers with mutual trust and sincere cooperation. He thinks that African countries should join and play an active role in the actualization of one belt one road construction. To develop a relationship and friendship with Africans and these are the key words They are sincerity friendship, equality and win-win situation. Because of this we hope Nigeria will know better about China. What we love what we share with the Nigeria people.”

   

Amb. Sola Onadipe, in his address said, “It is only a short time before China will take over as the number 1 economy. Now they are number two what they did to get there they are willing to share. The way they draft their diplomacy you will discover that they are always 15-10 years ahead of the rest of the world. America is blackmailing china by saying china is recolonizing Africa. Personally, I think I like that kind of colonialism because it is mutual one. Whatever it is that china gets from Africa I want to be believe that china deserves it because it is only country that has given genuine concern to Nigeria.”

Prof. Chimbi Maduagwu, further stated that “The idea of one road one belt is Shared interest shared destiny. President Xi Jinping of China and President Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria, on behalf of the people of china and the people of Africa, respectively adopted the shared interest and shared destiny approach to tie together all aspects of development that the two world powers have battled so far. Confucius institute appears to be one ready organ of the Chinese system that can shoulder the burden of OBOR and SISD.

Nigeria has found china more reliable than many other countries including their earlier western partners and friends. Chinese development has been either overtly or covertly non-military.”

Culled from: The Nation