Association wants media to promote China-Nigeria relations

The Executive Secretary of the All-China Journalists Association, Wang Dongmei, on Friday called on Nigerian and Chinese media practitioners to close ranks in promoting a win-win cooperation between their countries.

Wang, who gave the advice while interacting with a delegation of visiting Nigerian Journalists in Beijing, China enjoined media practitioners in both nations to become more active in promoting closer ties between China and Nigeria.

The association’s executive secretary said that the visit was a welcome development that had provided an opportunity for journalists in both countries to remind themselves of their responsibilities to their nations.

“Let me say that the visit of this delegation of Nigerian Journalists to China, is really a step in the right direction to promoting the long-existing relations between our two countries.

“We all know that China and Nigeria are two developing countries with the biggest population in our two continents. Our two governments currently expect so much from us in promoting our win-win cooperation.

“As Journalists, therefore, we should work harmoniously together in promoting more cordial diplomatic relations between our two countries.

“We are expected to continue to promote more people-to-people exchanges, as well as trade and investment between our Nigerian and Chinese brothers and sisters,’’ she said.

The association’s chief said that it was important for Journalists from both nations to sustain their personal relationships, and promote exchanges between them from time to time, with a view to setting the right agenda for both countries.

Wang said that her association, in collaboration with some major media houses in China, had over the years invited many Nigerian Journalists to China for various Journalism training programmes and other professional exchanges.

The executive secretary also announced her association’s plan to soon come up with more exchanges and capacity building programmes that would be of benefit to many more Nigerian journalists.

“As an association with about 230,000 certified members, we would be very happy to sustain our friendship and improved professional exchanges with our Nigerian colleagues in the years ahead.

“This is because we strongly believe that as Journalists in Nigeria and China, we must join hands, promote more training programmes and exchanges between us, in the interest of our two nations.

“I will also be leading a delegation of Chinese Journalists to your country, Nigeria, next year. We need to know more of ourselves and exchange ideas for developing ourselves, as well as promoting healthier relations between our peoples and governments,’’ she said.

Wang said that apart from the current challenges being posed by the use of social media, members of the association had continued to enjoy unrestricted working environment from the governments, and good remuneration and welfare packages from their employers.