China and Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to using cultural exchanges to deepen people-to-people relations and strengthen bilateral ties.

They made the commitment on Thursday at the “Shared Moon, Shared Moment, Meet in Africa: Hunan Culture and Tourism in Nigeria” event organised by the Chinese Embassy and the China Cultural Centre in Abuja.

Yang Jianxing, cultural counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and director of the China Cultural Centre, said cultural diplomacy was important in fostering mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of both countries.

Mr Yang said the Mid-Autumn Festival offered an opportunity for both countries to reflect on shared values of family, friendship, harmony and peace.

“The same moon shines over us, though we may be thousands of miles apart,” he said.

He said the Hunan cultural and arts delegation’s visit aimed not only to showcase Chinese culture but also to promote mutual understanding and strengthen friendship between Nigeria and China.

According to him, Hunan is home to three World Heritage sites and nine elements on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Mr Yang said Changsha, Hunan’s capital, has been the permanent host city of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo since 2019.

He said Hunan and Nigeria had built strong links in trade, investment, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

“We hope that such exchanges will further strengthen the friendly ties between Hunan and Nigeria, particularly between Hunan and Abuja,” he said.

Abdulkarim Ibrahim, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, said cultural diplomacy remained an important instrument for strengthening international relations.

Mr Ibrahim, represented by his special assistant, Musa Alhamdu, said cultural engagement could promote tourism, create opportunities for creative practitioners and enhance cooperation between Nigeria and China.

He said Nigeria’s rich cultural assets, including music, dance, festivals, visual arts, literature, film and other creative industries, provided opportunities for sustainable cultural cooperation.

“The moon that shines over China is the same moon that shines over Nigeria. It reminds us that although our history and culture may be different, we share a common humanity and a common world,” he said.

Olubunmi Olowookere, permanent secretary, Social Development Secretariat of the FCT Administration, described culture as a powerful bridge between people and nations.

She said cultural engagement enabled people to understand one another through music, dance, food, fashion, storytelling and tourism before engaging through policies or trade agreements.

Ms Olowookere said Nigeria offered opportunities for collaboration with Hunan in cultural exchange, heritage preservation, tourism development, destination branding, creative industries and skills acquisition.

She called for institutional partnerships among artists, museums, cultural centres, tourism professionals and creative entrepreneurs in both countries.

“We believe that cultural exchanges should move beyond one-off events and develop into sustainable cooperation,” she said.

Muhammad Suleiman, president of the Society of Nigerian Artists, said cultural diplomacy was essential to deepening relations between Nigeria and China.

Mr Suleiman described culture as “the soul of international partnerships”, saying cultural exchanges could complement existing cooperation in trade, infrastructure, education and other sectors.

He advocated regular Nigeria-China cultural festivals, artistic collaborations, youth exchange programmes and joint creative projects.

Mr Suleiman said Nigeria’s more than 250 ethnic nationalities and China’s 56 ethnic groups highlighted culture’s importance in promoting identity and mutual respect.

He said the Hunan delegation’s presence in Abuja would further strengthen cultural understanding and friendship between the two countries.

The event featured performances by the Hunan cultural delegation and Nigerian cultural presentations, including music, dance and acrobatic displays.

The event is part of activities marking the 55th anniversary of Nigeria-China diplomatic relations and the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. 

(NAN)