Chinese Envoy Advocates Harmony As Driver Of Development
By Bukar BOLORI
The Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Zhang Yi, has emphasized the need for Nigeria to embrace harmony as a key driver towards national development.
Zhang stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a seminar: “Promoting Harmony Through Mutual Learning” organised by the Chinese Embassy in collaboration with the China Alumni Association and the University of Abuja.
The envoy drawing parallels with China’s own journey towards economic prosperity, shared insights on how embracing diversity while prioritizing harmony had been instrumental in China’s growth story.
According to him, the concept of harmony from Longman dictionary is when people live or work together without fighting or disagreeing with each other.“
He said: “Harmony is more emphasised by the Chinese people in our culture. At the level of man and nature, we advocate harmony in coexistence; at the level of family and society, we advocate harmony in integration.
“At the level of nation and civilization, we advocate harmony in diversity: at the level of state and governance, we advocate harmony in development.
“We believe that fostering harmony among various ethnic groups, fostering political stability, and prioritizing infrastructure development were crucial steps towards unlocking Nigeria’s full potential.
“In short, our ultimate goal is to create a harmonious world with peaceful development of mankind.
“As we know, friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations, and our cultures can build the friendship bridge connecting China and Nigeria,”he said.
Zhang reiterated China’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s development efforts through strategic partnerships, technology transfer, and infrastructure investments.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two nations in key sectors such as energy, transportation, and telecommunications to drive economic growth and create opportunities for both countries.
Head of Political Science and International Relations Department University of Abuja, Prof. Sheriff Ibrahim, on his part, said that the seminar comes at a critical juncture for Nigeria, as the nation grapples with issues of insecurity, economic challenges, and social tensions.
