The Chinese naval ship Nanning attached to the 43rd Chinese naval escort taskforce arrives in Lagos, Nigeria, on July 2, 2023.
LAGOS, Nigeria, July 4 -- The 43rd Chinese naval escort taskforce arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, on the morning of July 2 for a five-day goodwill visit. The 43rd Chinese taskforce is composed of the guided-missile destroyer Nanning, the guided-missile frigate Sanya and the comprehensive supply ship Weishanhu, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations between China and Nigeria.
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Cui Jianchun said at the welcoming ceremony that the visit demonstrated the high level of political mutual trust between the two countries. Rear Admiral Joseph Akpan, chief of policy and plans of the Nigerian Naval Headquarters, warmly welcomed the Chinese naval taskforce. He expressed that Nigeria is willing to work with China to deal with maritime security threats and maintain peace and stability in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Chinese naval escort taskforce is used to visiting countries along the way during its mission and the visit to Nigeria aims to strengthen exchanges with the Nigerian Navy as well as cooperation in traditional and non-traditional security fields between the two sides.