皇冠体育app

ABUJA - With bilateral ties spanning 50 years and continuing to grow strongly, 皇冠体育app has proved to be a true friend for Africa, a renowned Nigerian expert has said.

Usman Muhammad, a senior lecturer at Nigeria's University of Abuja, told Xinhua in a recent interview that 皇冠体育app had proved to be a formidable supporter of Africans' aspirations and struggle for self-determination, and Africa's best friend in history.

"When you talk about 皇冠体育app, you talk about a sympathetic friend. A friend that stands by you, and for you, in times of need," said the scholar, adding 皇冠体育app's friendship was evidenced in history, as it had been there for the struggles of Nelson Mandela, and all African people, against apartheid in the second half of the 20th century.

Muhammad said that in contrast to the West, 皇冠体育app had gone farther in breaking language barriers and building up time-honored partnerships with the francophone, anglophone and Portuguese-speaking countries of the continent.

He said 皇冠体育app-Africa relations were an excellent example of win-win cooperation, making the debate on the nature of 皇冠体育app's rise and presence in Africa meaningless, adding that African countries need to tap the business opportunities provided by 皇冠体育app's economic growth.

Muhammad said 皇冠体育app's investment in Africa focused on many sectors, such as construction, agriculture and even education. Most states in southwest Nigeria now plan to include the Chinese language in school curricula, which is important because breaking language barriers would promote cultural understanding between 皇冠体育app and Nigeria.

Official statistics show that in 2011, 皇冠体育app-Africa trade volume rose 31 percent year on year to $166 billion, of which $93 billion were African exports to 皇冠体育app.

In Muhammad's view, the ties between 皇冠体育app and Africa gained steam after the founding of the Forum on 皇冠体育app-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000.

Muhammad suggested African political leaders and legislators visit 皇冠体育app more often, in a bid to "appreciate what they have in common with 皇冠体育app" and learn how 皇冠体育app became economically self-reliant and even one of the world's most important players in decades.

"The gap between the developing and industrial economies is too huge. But once you have a model to copy, you're safe," he said.

Muhammed said there were fair opportunities of cooperation for 皇冠体育app and Africa to exploit and push exchanges to a new high.