By Our Correspondent
To celebrate its 10 years of cultural exchanges with Nigeria, the China Cultural Centre on Sunday, 20th August, held a Gifting Ceremony of the Rejuvenation Book Series, written by the President of China, Xi Jinping.
Speaking at the lunching of the book, the 14th ambassador of China to Nigeria, CUI Jianchun stated that the book was written and given to Nigeria to share the story of China’s development and the reflection and essence of China’s contemporary history.
The ambassador states, “We are not only working for material needs, we have to work with other demands of the mind for development”.
The rejuvenation book series selects important documents related to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and describes in a panoramic manner the unremitting efforts of the Chinese, represented by the Chinese Communists in pursuit of national liberty, development, prosperity and rejuvenation.
“China’s experiences of development tells us that there is no one -size -fits -all model of development in this world. Each nation can only flourish when it finds the path that best suits its national situation,” the ambassador declared.
“So, this event is for Nigeria. We give Nigeria the books, to share China’s development. I do believe in the coming years that we would also have the oppurtunity to get books from Nigeria. I think today, we can strike a balance between the material and the cultural, especially the mind. This is the meaning of today’s event,” he continued.
According to the director of China Cultural Centre, Mr Charles Onunaiju, a renowned Nigerian writer and the first African winning the special book award of China, the donation of the China rejuvenation book series is a giant step in advancing the performance of the Nigeria-China symphony.
“The China rejuvenation book series is an intellectual and scholarly tour de- force to re-found the trajectories of China’s long match to contemporary reconning,” he opined.
“The Nigeria- China relationship provides understanding, it provides exchanges. The most important aspect of the relationship is what I call knowledge production and dissemination,” he continued.
Mr Charles Onunaiju also stated that the award winning book he authored about China was to give a realistic introduction of China.
“My aim was to give a more realistic introduction of China and the processes of that country against the distortion, against the slander and the blackmail issued from the West. My aim was to produce a more realistic picture of China,” he declared.
Established in 2012, the China Cultural Centre is targeted at promoting exchanges between China, Nigeria and Africa at large.
The 10th anniversary was graced by top dignitaries such as; Zang Yi, Minister Chancellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Onwudiwe, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, GAO Zheng, Director General, Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, HU Heping, Executive Public Head of the CPC Central Committee, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Dr. Ajibola of the National Library of Nigeria, Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of the Executive President of Nigeria, CUI Jianchun, Ambassador of China to Nigeria and Chris Loni, among others.