CHINA and Nigeria have expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in sports administration and other key areas of sports development as both countries continue to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The commitment was highlighted yesterday in Abuja during the Passion of Chinese Wushu: Cultural Heritage Chinese Wushu Premium Exhibition, organised by the China Cultural Center in Nigeria.

The event brought together sports administrators, government officials, diplomats, students and cultural enthusiasts to celebrate Chinese martial arts and explore opportunities for broader collaboration between the two countries.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission(NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, said Nigeria was open to expanding cooperation with China in sports administration, coaching development, sports science, infrastructure management, anti-doping programmes and youth development.

Dikko, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Legal, Strategy and Administration, Musa Ahmadu, noted that sports and cultural exchanges have become important pillars of the relationship between both countries.

According to him, while China-Nigeria relations are often viewed through the lens of trade, infrastructure and economic cooperation, sporting and cultural interactions also play a significant role in strengthening ties between their citizens.

“Sports diplomacy offers both Nigeria and China a powerful platform to build deeper connections. Sports speaks a universal language, crossing borders, bridging differences and bringing people together in ways formal diplomacy sometimes cannot,” he said.

The NSC chairman commended Chinese institutions for their support in building the capacity of Nigerian sports administrators, disclosing that two officials of the commission recently returned from a training programme in China organised by the Academy for International Business Officials.

He said Nigeria’s youthful population and China’s advanced sports systems provide opportunities for collaboration in athlete development, sports technology, research and the promotion of traditional sports.

“The National Sports Commission is open and ready for deeper engagement with the Chinese Mission in Nigeria, the China Cultural Center in Nigeria, Beijing Sport University and other relevant Chinese institutions,” Dikko stated.

He added that stronger cooperation in sports and culture would further cement the longstanding friendship between the peoples of both nations.

Speaking at the exhibition, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and Director of the China Cultural Center, Yang Jianxing, described Wushu as a symbol of China’s cultural heritage and values.

“Wushu is not merely a sport; it is a cultural language and a spiritual heritage. It embodies the Chinese nation’s enduring spirit of self-improvement and reflects values such as respect, virtue, harmony and peaceful coexistence,” he said.

Yang explained that Chinese martial arts promote harmony and mutual understanding, noting that the philosophy of Wushu is rooted in peace rather than conflict.

He said the exhibition, which featured renowned Wushu expert Professor Wu Dong and a delegation from Beijing Sport University, was designed to give Nigerians firsthand exposure to Chinese martial arts through demonstrations, lectures and interactive sessions.

According to him, the programme coincided with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Yang noted that cooperation between the two countries has continued to grow across several sectors, including infrastructure, education, trade and culture.

“As we stand at a new historical starting point, we will continue to organise more diverse and meaningful cultural programmes that promote mutual understanding and deepen friendship between China and Nigeria,” he said.

Also speaking, Director of Programmes at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mrs Abiodun Ogidan, described the Wushu exhibition as a platform for strengthening cultural diplomacy and enhancing bilateral relations.

She said the event went beyond martial arts, serving as a vehicle for intercultural dialogue and friendship between the two countries.

Ogidan highlighted FRCN’s collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in promoting Chinese language, culture, tourism, education and sports through its nationwide broadcast platforms.

She reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to sustaining the partnership, expressing confidence that continued cooperation would further strengthen educational exchanges, cultural understanding and people-to-people relations between Nigeria and China.

The exhibition formed part of ongoing efforts by both countries to leverage sports and culture as tools for promoting mutual understanding and strengthening bilateral relations.