The journey began with an unexpected telephone call in May. Kemi Yusufu, Publicity Secretary of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), relayed a message that the Chinese Embassy in Abuja was seeking contact with me. The following morning, an invitation arrived for an event that same day at 2 p.m. However, I was committed to the week-long District Conference of Rotary International District 9127. A new appointment was set for noon the next day.
That meeting at the Chinese Embassy marked the start of a journey that, two months later, took me to Hangzhou, one of China's most celebrated cities. At the embassy, I was received by Mr Sun and his colleague, Miss Chen. The meeting was simple—a conversation, a handshake, and an invitation whose full significance was yet to unfold.
A Three-Week Programme Begins
On 21 July, we left Nigeria aboard Ethiopian Airlines, with a layover at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, before continuing to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. From Guangzhou, we flew to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in Zhejiang Province. A local organising team, including Mr Kai and Ms Ally Tang, welcomed us. We arrived at the Haiwaihai International Hotel in Hangzhou on the night of 22 July.
The programme commenced at 9 a.m. the following morning with a lecture by Zhang Gangfeng, an Associate Professor at Zhejiang University, who provided an overview of China's national conditions. That afternoon, the programme was formally opened by Mr Fan Yijun, Deputy Director of the Free Trade Development Board of Zhejiang Province. The seminar, titled 'Seminar on Digital Villages and Economic Development for Nigeria', was organised under China's Foreign Aid Cooperation Programme on Human Resources Development and implemented by the Free Trade Development Board of Zhejiang Province, which also serves as the Secretariat of the China Centre for Cooperation on Special Economic Zones in BRICS Countries.
Representatives from South Africa and Solomon Islands also attended, but Nigeria had the largest delegation with 31 participants. At the opening ceremony, Mr Benjamin Ogugua Ogugua, Special Adviser to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, spoke on behalf of the Nigerian team.
West Lake and Cultural Heritage
On 24 July, we toured the West Lake Scenic Area, guided by Tang Qingqing, Programme Manager at the Free Trade Development Board of Zhejiang Province. West Lake, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, is often described as a 'Paradise on Earth'. Tang Qingqing provided detailed explanations of the lake's history and cultural significance, highlighting the coexistence of ancient tradition and modern ambition.
Poverty Alleviation and Common Prosperity
The second lecture, titled 'From Poverty Alleviation to Common Prosperity: China's Practice and Experience (Course on Xi Jinping Thought)', was delivered by Professor Shi Xinjie of Zhejiang University. The course emphasised that poverty alleviation is not just an economic programme but a political and moral responsibility. It stressed the importance of targeted poverty alleviation—identifying who is poor, why they are poor, and applying tailored measures. The approach involves investments in infrastructure, employment, local industries, education, skills, health, housing, and underdeveloped regions.
The philosophy holds that development is the foundation of poverty reduction. Escaping extreme poverty is not the final destination; the focus must shift to preventing relapse, promoting rural revitalisation, and pursuing a wider distribution of development benefits. Common prosperity does not mean equal incomes for all, but rather ensuring that the benefits of development are shared more broadly and fairly.
Twelve Lectures and a Broader Perspective
The programme included 12 lectures, most held at the Haiwaihai International Hotel. Three lectures took place at Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College. One lecture, titled 'Zhejiang's Digital Economy: Where We Are, Where We're Going', was delivered by Xiong Aisha, an Associate Professor. This title captured a central question: how far has the region travelled, and where is it heading?
Each participant received a copy of the third volume of Xi Jinping's book, 'The Governance of China'. The journey from Abuja to Hangzhou, which began with a handshake, evolved into a deep exploration of China's development philosophy and its implications for Nigeria.
