By John Okeke
For those not acquainted with the fast-paced urban centres of Asia, moving to Shanghai and living in Shanghai can be a shock to the system. As Mainland China’s economic capital and most cosmopolitan city, Shanghai is packed with glittering skyscrapers, impressive bridges and elevated highways, massive malls and shopping districts, not to mention enormous crowds.
Moving to Shanghai and living in Shanghai can all be overwhelming at first, but you will quickly grow accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the city and will manage to find your oasis of calm within it. Even this modern metropolis has plenty of hidden treasures that showcase China’s richer heritage and offer you a wide range of unforgettable experiences.
Lying on the estuary of the Chang Jiang Yangtze River, Shanghai is regarded as the economic capital of Mainland China. With a population of 24.89 million as of 2021, Shanghai is the most populous urban area in China and the most populous city proper in the world. It is the only city in East Asia with a GDP greater than its corresponding capita.
Arriving in Shanghai, you might be a little overwhelmed by all the crowds, vehicles, malls and skyscrapers. This modern metropolis, with its rich heritage of ancient Chinese culture, offers you a wide range of sightseeing, shopping and life experiences.
Shanghai has been one of the world’s major centers for finance, business and economics, research, education, science andtechnology, manufacturing, tourism, culture, dining, art, fashion, sports, and transportation, and the Port of Shanghai is the world’s busiest container port. In 2019, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport was one of the world’s 10 busiest airports by passenger traffic, and one of the two international airports serving the Shanghai metropolitan area, the other one being the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.
However, Nigeria and China have good bilateral relationships and they are well represented in different countries around the world .
Nigeria is well represented in China by Nigerian Consulate General in Shanghai .
Nigerian Consulate office in Shanghai provides consulate services which including visa, passport, document legalization, emergency travel document and assistance, and so on are provided by the consulate office in Shanghai.
The Consul General of Nigeria in Shanghai, China, Chimezie Okeoma Ogu has since his assumption of office created a good relations between Nigerians living in Shanghai and his office while rendering services to them .
It was under the watch of the Consul General of Nigeria in Shanghai, Ogu Okeoma Chimezie that the body of a deceased Nigerian who was from Benin ,Nigeria and has been in the custody of Chinese government since 2017 (after 5 years) was recovered to their owner in Nigeria when Chinese Authority threatened to cremate the deceased body.
This was after the Consul General made a concerted efforts to trace the family of the deceased in Nigeria.
The Consul General had in some of his engagements in one of Shanghai metropolitan area Nantong city called for more Chinese investments in Africa, particularly Nigeria.
Ogu said by investing more in Africa, China and African countries will arrive at a win-win situation.
Speaking during the Jiangsu-Africa Cooperation Conference and China-Africa Local Government Cooperation Forum in Nantong, China, Ogu said the theme of the conference: ‘Unity and cooperation, seeks common development and work together to build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future,’ is very timely and needed the attention of both sides.
The event was hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Jiangsu Province and the People’s Government of Nantong City.
In attendance were officials from relevant departments and cities in Jiangsu Province, as well as envoys and government officials of African countries including Nigeria, Egypt, Namibia, and Cape Verde, participated in the event.
Ogu noted that Africa is a reliable friend and partner of China, a continent with over 700 million people which is next to India as major trading partner.
He further said the Government and People of China have done very well within the platform of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), adding that the cooperation between both sides have witnessed tremendous cooperation, building of unity and understanding between both sides.
According to Ogu, “Africa as a continent has benefited a lot within the mechanism of FOCAC and lots of goodwill in the area of infrastructure development from the Chinese side.
“Africa appreciates China, however, there are gaps that need to be closed by both sides, as I especially invite the Government of Jiangsu Province and businessmen to increase their presence by investing more in African continent in the win-win cooperation. The need to close this gap calls for both sides to increase our mutual interaction in the area of business investment.”
Ogu further said both sides needed to develop a strong bond and also a network of honest and sincere communication in the bilateral engagements, both in the public and private sector to achieve the common goals.
“Honesty and sincerity are an essential ingredient in the growth and progress of friendly countries with shared values, visions and expectations.
“China needs to carry Africa as an abiding trusted ally in all its bilateral and multilateral engagements.
“In as much as Africa needs China in its quest for development, China also needs Africa’s support in the area of global politics with the United Nations.
“Very importantly, China needs to unite with Africa and carry her in its multilateral aspirations in world polities. It can only realize this by assuring Africa of its sincerity to assist the continent by providing the best of modern infrastructure needs and demands of our people.
“In this way, a better perception, understanding and knowledge of the true spirit of Chinese fraternity with Africa will be understood in the context of our continental framework of FOCAC,” Ogu also said.
Also , in another engagement upon his assumption in office , the Consul General of Nigeria in Shanghai, Ogu Chimezie paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Xu Zhiwei, Chairman, Longrich Industries at the company’s headquarters at the outskirts of Shanghai province of China.
The envoy called for closer cooperation between Nigeria and Longrich Industries to further strengthen bilateral ties and boost Nigeria’s economy.
Ogu commended the good work of the company.
He said Longrich had provided health and cosmetics needs of Nigerians household through the production of tested global brands of various products.
He praised Longrich’s advanced intelligent production level and its brands.
“Longrich products are very popular in Nigeria. Every Nigerian family has Longrich products, and the country serves as the biggest market for the company in Africa and next to China in the world.
“The presence of the company in Nigeria has offered job and business opportunities to young men and women, who before now, were jobless.
“The introduction of the company’s novel network of marketing strategy has made many Nigerians millionaires.
“Longrich can develop more excellent products to meet the needs of the Nigerian market.”
Ogu also stated that with the establishment and construction of Longrich industry in Lagos, it has given opportunity to the transfer of technology and skill.
This, he added, is the new focus of the present administration in its drive for Foreign Direct Investment with its international partners.
The Consul General also canvassed for the training and retraining of Nigerians working with the company, adding that it would assist the Federal government efforts to address unemployment problem in the country.
He also urged the management to consider recruiting young Nigerians living in China to participate in the internship programme of the company at its company’s headquarters in Shanghai for a better mutual cooperation.
Ogu also urged the company to offer job placements and opportunities to qualified young Nigerian graduates that studied in host country to continue to promote and boost the bilateral cooperation between both sides.
Responding, Mr. Xu, the stated that the request of the Consul General would be given consideration in recognition of the cordial bilateral relation existing between China and Nigeria.
Xu stated that the Company established its presence in Nigerian Market in 2012 and has made giant stride in the Nigerian economy.
He informed the Nigerian Envoy that as part of the company’s internationalization strategy, the management had signed a contract with Nigeria’s Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos state.
This he explained was done through the construction of 40,000-square-meter production line, to become the first artificial intelligence factory along the “Belt and Road” in Nigeria.
According to Xu, this is an important step for the realization of the national “Belt and Road” initiative by Chinese enterprises.
“This project will not only provide Longrich overseas branch with comprehensive large supply chain, product guarantee, import and export, customs clearance and other overall services.
“But it will also provide all important local brands in Nigeria, as well as the entire African market”, Xu stated.
Xu stated that Longrich Nigeria is a window to open up African market to introduce the “Chinese myth” in the African continent and the world.
The Nigerian Consul General and his delegation after the visit to Xu also visited the Longrich Research & Development center, intelligent factory and other places in the production line of the company.
