China to continue helping Nigeria fight COVID-19: Chinese FM

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that China is willing to continue providing help and support for Nigeria's fight against COVID-19 till the African country finally prevails over it.

In a phone conversation with Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, Wang said Nigeria is a major country with important influence, adding that China attaches great importance to Nigeria's status and role on the international stage, always views and develops the China-Nigeria relations from a strategic altitude and long-term perspective.

China firmly supports Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's efforts to lead the Nigerian people to develop their economy, improve their livelihood, maintain national security, and commit to peace and stability in Africa and the world, Wang said.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease, China and Nigeria have been supporting, helping and looking out for each other, he said.

The Chinese side has provided Nigeria with anti-epidemic materials and shared its experience in epidemic prevention, and Chinese enterprises and civil organizations have also voluntarily offered supplies, Wang noted.

The friendship and mutual trust between China and Nigeria have been promoted and strengthened in the joint fight against the disease, he said.

Wang emphasized that at present, vaccine research, development and use have raised broad international attentions, with some powerful countries trying to seize the market and even to monopolize resources, which puts developing countries at an unfavourable position.

China has announced that once successfully developed, the vaccine will be used as a public good to provide assistance to developing countries including those in Africa, Wang said, adding that China will continue to push forward this process and strengthen vaccine cooperation with Africa.

Noting that for some time the United States and other forces have been constantly sowing discord in China-Africa and China-Nigeria relations, Wang said such attempt will never succeed.

China's friendly tradition with African countries including Nigeria has withstood the test of time and the international situation, he said, adding that their brotherly friendship will resist any interference.

Both sides will continue their firm support to each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries, he added.

Onyeama, for his part, said that Nigeria attaches importance to China's important role in international affairs, and appreciates the Chinese government and people for their generous support and assistance, which shows the close unity and brotherly friendship between Nigeria and China.

When it comes to vaccines, developing countries including those in Africa are indeed at an unfavourable position, he said, and the Nigerian side highly appreciates China's decision to treat any vaccine as an international public product, which demonstrates China's demeanor as a major country with global vision.

The Nigeria-China relationship and friendship are built on a solid foundation of mutual trust, and the two nations share long-term amity that can withstand the test of time and will not be interfered by any external factors, Onyeama said.

The two sides also exchanged views on the World Trade Organization and other issues.