BILATERAL RELATIONS: PERISCOPING NIGERIA AND CHINA RELATIONS

Abstract

Nigeria’s first contact with China took place in 1960 when a Chinese delegation, on the invitation of the Nigerian government, attended Nigeria’s independence celebrations. The delegation brought a message from Chinese leaders congratulating Nigeria on the victory won by the Nigerian people in their struggle against colonialism. In February, 1971, Nigeria finally established diplomatic ties with China more than a decade after independence. Both countries opened embassies in each other’s capital within the year. The Chinese government has described this relationship as a “win-win†situation. This work using the dependency theory aimed to show that the amiable and heart satisfying description by the Chinese government does not tally with the reality on ground. For clarity sake, the work is compartmentalized into five sections: - introduction, theoretical framework, historical background of Nigeria- China relations, lopsided relationship, and conclusion.