Chinese and Nigerian officials convened at the China Cultural Centre on Friday to launch the China-Nigeria People-to-People and Cultural Exchange Series, marked by a symposium and the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement on audiovisual content exchange.
The event, titled “Film as a Messenger, Literature as a Bridge,” coincided with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both nations, the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.
Organized by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria alongside China Intercontinental Press & Media Co., Ltd., the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, and China Movie Channel, the initiative establishes a structured audiovisual partnership between the two nations’ national media entities.
Key Dignitaries and Statements
Attending guests and speakers included:
Yu Dunhai, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria
Abdulkarim Ozi Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy of Nigeria
Guan Hong, Deputy General Manager, China Intercontinental Press & Media Co., Ltd.
Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)
Cui Binzhen, Editor-in-Chief, China Movie Channel Program Center
Chukwudi Eze, Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors (Abuja Chapter)
Ambassador Yu noted that the strategic agreement aligns with the Global Civilization Initiative and provides a joint platform to enhance mutual understanding.
Permanent Secretary Ibrahim congratulated China on its socio-economic achievements and stated Nigeria’s readiness to expand bilateral cooperation into film co-production, literary translation, creative industries, and talent cultivation.
Strategic Accord and Panel Discussions
During the formal ceremony, Cui Binzhen (China Movie Channel) and Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos (NTA) signed a strategic cooperation agreement to set up a regular audiovisual content exchange mechanism.
The signing was complemented by a panel discussion themed From Word to the Screen: The Power of Story, moderated across three core topics: national destiny, homeland sentiment, and youth mission.
Chinese Representatives: Highlighted the role of real-life storytelling in documentary media and welcomed Nigerian filmmakers to explore collaborative opportunities, referencing China Movie Channel’s youth development initiatives.
Nigerian Representatives: Emphasized Nollywood’s role in shaping national identity and discussed the narrative significance of the “home” motif in African literature.
The event concluded with an English-language screening of the Chinese martial arts film Blades of the Guardians for the attending audience of over 200 industry professionals and media representatives.
