President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Beijing at about 17.30hours (local time) today to begin a state visit to China during which several new agreements will be concluded and signed to boost bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China in areas such as defence, finance, trade, agriculture and communications.
President Jonathan who was accompanied by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan was received at the Capital Airport in Beijing by China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Li Yucheng and Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, Alhaji Aminu Wali.
The President will be formally welcomed to China tomorrow by President Xi Jinping at a grand ceremony scheduled to hold at the Great Hall of the People.
Thereafter, the two leaders and their official delegations will hold bilateral talks at the end of which new agreements and memoranda of understanding will be signed.
These include an agreement on defence cooperation between Nigeria and China, and an agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation.
Others are: an Agreement on Finance for the Zungeru Power Plant and Airport Terminals; and an Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports.
At the conclusion of the signing ceremony, President Jonathan and the First Lady will attend a state banquet to be given in their honour by President Jinping and his spouse.
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