Bilateral collaboration between Nigeria and China, which has been expanding in recent times, is expected to extend to culture and tourism in the coming months.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, told reporters on Wednesday that existing concrete relations needed to be boosted through mutually beneficial programmes that would showcase each country’s heritage.

Mr Mohammed and the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Gu Xiaojie, had met in Abuja to discuss further expansion of the nations’ bilateral collaboration.

On his part, Mr Xiaojie said China was ready to work with the Nigerian government in all economic aspects especially in areas that would play up the similarities between both countries such as population and diverse cultural background.

The planned expansion to tourism is coming weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari visited China.

In that visit, President Buhari had urged Nigerian and Chinese business communities to work harder to reduce the trade imbalance between both countries which is currently in China’s favour.

The Nigerian President gave the task while addressing a Nigeria-China Business/Investment Forum in Beijing.

He stressed that the trade and economic relations between both countries must be mutually-beneficial and conducted with reciprocated respect and trust.