The Chinese government said it is working with African countries to help reduce poverty on the continent without worsening its debt problems.

Yan Yuqing, the Chinese Consul-General, shared this during the 18th China-African lecture, which took place on Thursday at the University of Lagos.

Yuqing talked about how China and African nations are teaming up to reduce poverty in Africa.

She said, “China has never been a creator of the debt crisis of African countries. China partners to help African countries to help them deal with their poverty problems. Under the framework of the G20, there is a plan to delay debt repayment, and China has contributed more than 60 percent and done more than other G-20 members. China will never threaten to sanction any African country with recourse to contracts between the two countries.

“The people of Nigeria and China are wonderful, hard-working, and friendly. We have very good results in several fields, such as infrastructure, trade and investment, education, and culture. These are very important parts of our bilateral relationship.”

The ambassador further mentioned that the lecture’s theme, “Chinese Modernization and Development of Africa,” was intended to foster stronger Nigeria-China bilateral relations.

“This is also to allow young students from the University of Lagos to know more about Chinese development. I am so glad that most students are learning Chinese. They will have the opportunity to go to China, learn more about Chinese history, and make friends with Chinese people,” she added.

The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Adelaja Odukoya, said Chinese society had decided to do things differently with regard to its socialist system.

He said, “I call that Chinese essentialism. This means they don’t forget their roots, and they are very passionate about who they are. Whether you like socialism or not, it is a different thing. If there is any social organisation that takes people from wealth into a superpower, it is society that practices socialism. We have an example from China. Go back to 1949; where was China then, and where is it today? Go back to 1917; where was Russia, and where is it today? Capitalist society has done nothing for us in Nigeria.”

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Akanbi Ilupeju, said the meeting was for the benefit and possibilities of having a cross-fertilisation of ideas in relevant areas of the sciences, social sciences, and humanities in general.

“It is also to benefit our students through exchange and the possibility of having the students pursue their programmes in China,” he added.

He said, “I call that Chinese essentialism. This means they don’t forget their roots, and they are very passionate about who they are. Whether you like socialism or not, it is a different thing. If there is any social organisation that takes people from wealth into a superpower, it is society that practices socialism. We have an example from China. Go back to 1949; where was China then, and where is it today? Go back to 1917; where was Russia, and where is it today? Capitalist society has done nothing for us in Nigeria.”

[https://businessday.ng]