The Vatican announced Wednesday the first appointment of a Chinese bishop under Leo XIV, signalling the new pope’s support for a controversial accord on nominations struck by his predecessor with Beijing. The Holy See expressed ‘satisfaction’ at the recognition by China of the appointment of Joseph Lin Yuntuan as auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou, capital of the southeastern Fujian province. The …

United States (US) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday trade negotiations with China were ‘a bit stalled’ and suggested President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping could get involved. ‘I would say that they are a bit stalled’, Bessent told broadcaster Fox News when asked about trade talks with Beijing. ‘I believe that we will be having more …

The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria has harped on the imperative of enhanced collaboration between the two countries in unlocking the potential of latter’s solid minerals sector through the establishment of electric vehicle factories in Nigeria. While paying a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake in his office at the weekend, the Chinese Ambassador to …

World Athletics has distanced itself from blame over the visa delays that affected Nigeria’s participation at this year’s World Relays, which holds on Saturday (today) and Sunday in Guangzhou, China. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) on Friday announced its withdrawal from the event, which will also serve as a qualifier for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year. …

The Chinese Government has announced plans to establish a Chinese Centre at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in Rivers State, aimed at fostering cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Nigeria. The China’s Consul-General in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, disclosed this while leading a delegation from the Consulate on a visit to UNIPORT. This was contained in a statement by …

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is set to arrive in China any moment from now for a series of official engagements aimed at improving water supply to satellite towns within the territory. According to a statement released on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister is currently …

The United States government has reaffirmed its long-standing position that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory leak in Wuhan, China. This statement, attributed to the administration of President Donald Trump, was published on the official White House website on Friday. Central to the renewed claims is the assertion that scientific and circumstantial evidence increasingly supports a lab-based origin of the virus, …

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday called for a stronger partnership between Nigeria and China, lauding China’s extraordinary transformation as a model of visionary leadership and strategic development. Akpabio made the appeal in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) led by its Vice …

US President Donald Trump threatens steep additional tariffs on Chinese imports if Beijing does not drop its retaliation plans, adding that Washington is open to negotiations with other countries. ‘If China does not withdraw its 34 per cent increase on top of their long-standing trade abuses by tomorrow, 8 April 2025, the United States will impose additional tariffs on China …

The Federal Government has appealed to China to ‘remove trade tariff for Nigeria as it had to 33 other African nations’, ‘In hopes of deepening economic cooperation and boosting trade in areas critical to Nigeria’s development goals’. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the appeal during a courtesy visit by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, …