Your Excellency President Obasanjo and Mrs.Obasanjo,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to pay a state visit to your country at the invitation of President Obasanjo. Since we set foot on this beautiful land, we have been touched by the sincere friendship of the Nigerian people and overwhelmed by the warm and friendly atmosphere. Now the President and Mrs. Obasanjo are hosting such a grand welcoming banquet for us. Please allow me to take this opportunity to express, on behalf of my wife and colleagues, and in my own name, our sincere gratitude to Your Excellency Mr. President and Mrs. Obasanjo, and best wishes to the Nigerian people.

Nigeria has a long history and its people are hardworking and intelligent. As early as two thousand years ago, this land nurtured the famous Nok Culture, the most ancient African culture discovered in sub-Sahara. Nigeria, therefore, is one of the birthplaces of African culture, with a glorious chapter in the history of human civilization. This rich heritage of history and culture is an important source of confidence and cohesion for the Nigerian nation in modern times. Today, we are happy to see that, under the leadership of Your Excellency Mr. President, your Government and people are making vigorous efforts for national unity, domestic stability, sustained economic growth and African regional cooperation and integration. You are playing a unique and crucial role in regional and international affairs. We genuinely wish the Nigerian people continuous fresh achievements in the grand cause of nation building and the promotion of human progress.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As history moves on to the 21st century, peace and development remain the two major issues of the world of today. They are also urgent tasks facing the developing countries. The African people, who suffered greatly from the past colonial bondage and plunder and conflicts and chaos, all yearn for peace, stability and development. In recent years, with unprecedented sense of responsibility for the history and urgency of the times and in conformity with the historical trend, the vast number of African countries and peoples have revitalized the pan-African spirit, insisted on self-improvement through joint efforts and actively explored prospects of development for the African continent and we believe that the African people will enjoy an even better future.

The friendship between the Chinese and African peoples has a long history. In the past century, China and the African countries shared a common lot and developed profound friendship in the struggle against colonial rule for national independence. In the new century, the two sides share broad common interests and vast prospects of cooperation in maintaining world peace, pushing forward South-South cooperation and promoting common development. At the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation-Ministerial Conference in October 2000, which was initiated by the Chinese Government, the two sides shaped a new framework for the development of their relations in the new century. I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate that the Chinese Government will, as always, support the lofty cause of achieving peace and development in Africa, and will be ready to join hands with African countries to work for a new world of lasting peace, mutual respect, unity and cooperation, and common prosperity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Over 2,300 years ago, the great Chinese thinker Mencius once said that it is valuable for people who have just met to know each other and it is even more valuable for people to know each other's heart. China and Nigeria are bosom friends who know each other's heart. Though thousands of miles apart, our two countries have nurtured a brotherly friendship in our long-term mutual understanding and support. When Your Excellency Mr. Presidnet visited China in August last year, we reached the four-point common understanding, namely, sincere friendship and mutual trust, mutual benefit and common development, enhanced consultation and mutual support, and taking a long view while bearing in mind the future. This has identified the direction of development for China-Nigeria relations in the 21st Century. We have every reason to believe that, with concerted efforts from both sides, the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Nigeria will be continuously consolidated and developed, and that the friendship between our two countries will be ever flourishing.

Now I wish to propose a toast,

To the prosperity of Nigeria and the well-being of its people,

To the friendship between the Chinese and Nigerian peoples,

To the health of President Obasanjo and Mrs. Obasanjo, and

To the health of friends present today.

Cheers!