- China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) naval squadron, led by the warship Nanning, makes a historic visit to Nigeria.
- The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria highlights the visit as a crucial moment for collaboration, with the Nigerian navy expressing willingness to work with China in addressing maritime security concerns in the Gulf of Guinea, known for piracy and oil theft.
- As Nigeria serves as a vital source of oil for China, the visit holds economic significance, with China recently completing a $1 billion deep-sea port in Lagos.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) naval squadron led by the warship Nanning landed in Nigeria on Sunday for a rare visit by the Chinese military to Africa’s Atlantic coast, where Beijing has long sought to expand its influence.
The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria lauded the five-day visit as a watershed moment in bilateral relations, and the Nigerian navy indicated a willingness to collaborate with China to address maritime security concerns and preserve stability in the Gulf of Guinea, according to a statement issued by the Chinese embassy on Monday.
Later, the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria Cui Jianchun, informed the BBC that the purpose of the Chinese naval fleet’s visit to Lagos was to increase security in the waters off of West Africa and East Africa, which are notorious for piracy and oil theft.
“Peace is not free, peace should be defended. So I think that we need military security collaboration, so Africa-China, Nigeria-China can do things to not only safeguard the peace but to protect the vessels in the Gulf of Aden and also here in the Gulf of Guinea,” Cui Jianchun said.
Nigeria is a significant source of oil to China, and in Lagos, China just completed a deep sea port at a cost of $1 billion (£787 million).
“The Nigerian navy can benefit from the Chinese partners. First, they can exchange technology and also experiences,” the ambassador said, also noting that they might also help to create confidence between the two parties.
Additionally, he relayed his thought about how the two nations might work together more on infrastructure, technology, and other fronts.
China constructed its first naval outpost overseas in Djibouti in 2017, and there have been rumors that China may also want to establish a military facility on the Atlantic coast of Africa. US defense officials raised alarm about similar goals last year.
However, the Chinese envoy tried to downplay such concerns, he stated, “We are working not to only serve the Chinese nation. We are also working to do something for human progress and also the harmony of the world.”
The Chinese naval squadron visited Ivory Coast and Ghana for four days before landing in Nigeria. They will go to Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo before returning home.
