President Muhammadu Buhari says the death of former Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin, aged 96, “has robbed the country of one of its remarkable leaders.”

In a statement by his media aide Garba Shehu, on Wednesday in Abuja, Mr Buhari recalled that the late Chinese leader “had put his country on the path of economic progress by opening it up, thereby making China the second largest economy after the United States.”

The Nigerian leader stated that Mr Zemin had demonstrated that with visionary leadership, a country could achieve economic growth through independent models.

Mr Buhari explained that the late Chinese leader would be particularly remembered for helping China join the World Trade Organisation.

He described Mr Zemin as ”a consummate and skilful leader” who contributed to the peaceful transfer of Hong Kong’s sovereignty to China in July 1997 after 156 years of British rule. 

(NAN)