• Chinese president meets Chinese, Nigerian businessmen

Nigeria is the top African producer of crude and the seventh-largest in the world, normally pumping 2.5 million barrels per day. It was the first sub-Saharan Africa stop on a tour by Hu that has included the United States, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
Militants claiming responsibility for oil-installation attacks and kidnappings that have shut down more than 20 percent of Nigeria's oil production this year vowed more violence in response to the Chinese deals.
"They should go back to China and do all these things they say for the millions of starving Chinese. We want control over our resources, not Chinese management and development," the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
China is hungry for the energy, timber, minerals and other raw materials Africa can provide, and in January, China's state-controlled oil firm, CNOOC, announced it had reached a deal to pay $2.3 billion for a 45 percent stake in a Nigerian offshore oil field.
Obasanjo's office said as Hu wrapped up his visit Thursday that China had granted Nigeria $5.7 million in aid to be used in part to buy anti-malaria medicines and to train Nigerians in malaria control and prevention.
With 130 million people, Africa's most populous country is also a major market for Chinese-produced goods. Chinese companies have been accused of flooding local markets with fake and substandard goods, notably textiles. In December, Nigerian officials took the dramatic step of shutting down several shopping centers run by Chinese traders in Lagos.
In the last five years, China's trade with Africa has grown fourfold, to $40 billion in 2005.
The world's most populous country, with 1.3 billion people, has also set new development targets to increase its gross domestic product and lower energy consumption, the Chinese leader told Nigerian lawmakers Thursday.
"By the year 2020 ... GDP would quadruple that of 2000 to reach $4 trillion, averaging $3,000 per head," Hu said.
China, a veto-wielding U.N. Security Council member, also has offered key diplomatic support to some governments shunned by the West, like Sudan and Zimbabwe.
------
Associated Press reporter Bashir Adigun contributed to this report from Abuja, Nigeria.
7
Document APRS000020060427e24r002st

Energy Highlights: US Working Gas In Storage +80 BCF - EIA
222 words

27 April 2006

11:00 AM

Dow Jones Energy Service

NRG

English

(c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Top of the Day

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[ 04-27-06 1100ET ]
28036
Document NRG0000020060427e24r0001w
China, Nigeria sign joint communique
512 words

27 April 2006

Xinhua News Agency

XNEWS

English

(c) Copyright 2006 Xinhua News Agency
ABUJA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- China and Nigeria signed a joint communique on bilateral relations on Thursday during the Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the West African country.
The following are excerpts of the document.
STEADY GROWTH OF FRIENDLY RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
The two sides expressed satisfaction with the steady growth of the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Nigeria over the past 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The two sides expressed their readiness to expand cooperation in various fields and to work, on the basis of the principles of treating each other with sincerity and friendship and as equals, drawing on their respective strengths and achieving common development to promote the continued growth of the strategic partnership between the two countries and the well-being of the two peoples.
ONE-CHINA POLICY
The two sides pledged to support each other on issues relating to sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Nigerian side reiterated its adherence to the one-China policy and opposition to "Taiwan independence" in any form including "de jure Taiwan independence" and to Taiwan's participation in any international or regional organization whose membership applies only to sovereign states. The Nigerian side also reiterated its position of not having official relations or contact with Taiwan and its support for all efforts made by the Chinese government to realize national reunification. The Chinese side highly appreciated the above-mentioned position of the Nigerian side.
GREAT POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION
The two sides shared the view that China and Nigeria have great potential and broad prospects for economic cooperation and agreed to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, electric power, infrastructure construction, energy, telecommunications and human resources development. The two governments will continue to encourage entrepreneurs of the two countries to increase exchanges and expand cooperation and will create favorable conditions to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
The two sides expressed their readiness to work in the spirit of their existing strategic partnership to step up cooperation in international affairs, uphold the rights and interests of developing countries, promote world peace and development, and foster a harmonious world of durable peace and common prosperity. The Chinese side appreciated Nigeria's efforts to maintain regional peace and stability and promote African integration. The two sides had an extensive discussion on the issue of UN reform, and decided to work with other UN member states to realize the vision as spelled out in the 2005 World Summit outcome document.
FRIENDLY RELATIONS AND COOPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND AFRICA
The two sides spoke highly of the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Africa and expressed their willingness to work together to promote a new type of strategic partnership with Africa, featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win relations and cultural exchange. The two sides looked forward to strengthening their consultation and coordination to ensure the success of the up-coming high level Forum on China-Africa Cooperation which will be convened in Beijing. President Obasanjo accepted Hu's invitation to attend the event.
Document XNEWS00020060427e24r002ni

Nigeria, China sign oil, technology pacts
768 words

27 April 2006

08:25 AM

BBC Monitoring Africa

BBCAP

English

(c) 2006 The British Broadcasting Corporation. All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced except with the express permission of The British Broadcasting Corporation.
Text of report by Madu Onuorah and Oghogho Obayuwana entitled "Nigeria, China sign oil, technology pacts" published by Nigerian newspaper The Guardian website on 27 April
President of China, Mr Hu Jintao, yesterday began a two-day official visit to Nigeria, declaring that his nation is desirous of deepening and developing a new strategic partnership with Nigeria.
Hu, who arrived the nation's capital, Abuja, with a 40-member delegation, held bilateral talks with the Nigerian team led by President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.
Both nations also signed economic and technical cooperation, including the grant of 40m yuan (about 700m naira), another five million yuan for anti-malaria medicine, training course for comprehensive malaria prevention and control by China and grant of one million yuan for training of medical staff for Nigeria.
Both nations also signed a memorandum of understanding for the National Information Technology of Nigeria and the Uwaei Technologies of China and petroleum cooperation for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the China National Petroleum Cooperation.
The bilateral talks also reaffirmed the earlier grant of four oil blocs to China by Nigeria. A breakdown of the four oil blocs shows that while two are located in the oil-rich Niger Delta, two are located on Nigeria's side of the Lake Chad Basin. Based on the understanding between both nations, China is also to take over the Kaduna Refinery and build a power generating plant in the country.
Welcoming Jintao, Obasanjo said the visit was "bound to deepen and strengthen the relationship that we struck through the understanding we had when we visited you last year. From all of our own assessment, this 21st century is the century for China to lead the world. And when you are leading the world, we want to be close behind you. When you are going to the moon, we don't want to be left behind."
President Hu said he came to Nigeria "to look to deepening the traditional relationship between our two countries, expanding our mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting further development of our strategic partnership. Our cooperation has been expanded in the areas of agriculture, energy, power generation and infrastructure development. Our cooperation in the area of satellite has achieved obvious progress. We are looking forward to launching a Nigerian satellite to space at an acceptable time next year."
The Chinese leader then proposed areas for further development of the strategic partnership.
They include:
- to strengthen our political mutual trust bearing in mind the objectives of deepening the strategic cooperation;
- to maintain sound momentum of high level exchanges and visits;
- to strengthen our dialogue and exchanges with each other at all levels;
- coordinate our positions for our mutual interests;
- cooperate in new areas for mutual beneficial "win-win" situations; and
- strengthening cooperation in the areas of agriculture, energy, power generation, telecommunications, infrastructural development and satellite.
Earlier, President Obasanjo had received the Chinese leader at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport where arrival ceremonies, including the traditional 21-gun salute and the inspection of a guard of honour and parade by a detachment of the Guards Brigade, Nigerian army, were held.
Later, Mr Hu held private discussions with President Obasanjo before the commencement of bilateral talks. Later in the night, the Chinese leader was hosted to a state banquet by President Obasanjo.
Mr Hu will today address a joint session of the National Assembly and the China-Nigerian Business Forum before departing for Kenya.
China's inroad into the Nigerian economy has been deepening in the last few years.
In April last year, Chinese firm ZTE Corporation entered a deal with the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) to expand Nigeria CDMA network following a successful 10,000-line trial in Maiduguri.
The company's Vice-President Cao Qiang told journalists in Pudong, Shanghai's business district that feasibility studies had been concluded for the 12.3bn naira (95m dollars) rural wireless network contract in Nigeria won in May last year.
It provides among others for local manufacture of components. The ZTE office in Nigeria is considered the company's largest overseas with about 70 per cent local workers.
A major activity standing out from the pack of projects in Nigeria being handled by Chinese concerns is the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) building in Abuja.
It is being handled by the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC). Recently Huawei, a giant Chinese telecommunication company, started business in Nigeria with offices in Lagos and Abuja.
Source: The Guardian website, Lagos, in English 27 Apr 06
a4556d0d
Document BBCAP00020060427e24r00231

DJ China, Nigeria Sign Oil, Telecoms Deal As Pres Hu Visits
332 words

27 April 2006

01:42 AM

Dow Jones Commodities Service

OSTDJ

English

Copyright 2006, Comtex News Network. All Rights Reserved.
ABUJA, Nigeria, Apr 27, 2006 (DJCS via Comtex) --
Chinese President Hu Jintao was to begin the second day of his visit to oil-rich Nigeria Thursday with an address to the country's lawmakers in which he was expected to outline the policy of the world's fastest-growing economy toward Africa, the world's poorest continent.
During the first day of the visit, President Hu and his Nigerian counterpart President Olusegun Obasanjo presided over the signing of a string of agreements covering cooperation in energy, telecommunications, infrastructure development and health.
"From our assessment this is the century of China to lead the world," Obasanjo said. "And when you're leading the world we want to be very close behind you."
Hu said his visit to Nigeria was in pursuit of closer ties for both nations in order to expand "mutually beneficial cooperation and promote further development of strategic partnerships."
Nigeria is the top African producer of crude oil and the seventh-largest in the world, normally pumping 2.5 million barrels a day.
In January, China's state-controlled oil firm CNOOC announced it had reached a deal to pay US$2.3 billion for a 45% state in a Nigerian offshore oil field.
With 130 million people, Nigeria is also a major market for Chinese-produced goods.
In the last five years, China's trade with Africa has grown fourfold to US$40 billion in 2005.
China's growth has sparked a global race with the West for markets and industrial resources. Africa has become a frontier of opportunity for the world's most populous country and its fastest growing economy.
That has meant opportunity, aid and even key diplomatic support - China is a veto-wielding United Nations Security Council member - to some governments shunned by the West, like Sudan and Zimbabwe. Hu also visits Kenya in a few days' time.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-27-06 0542ET
Document OSTDJ00020060427e24r000zf

China, Nigeria Sign Oil, Telecoms Deal As Pres Hu Visits
322 words

27 April 2006

05:42 AM

Dow Jones International News

DJI

English

(c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)--Chinese President Hu Jintao was to begin the second day of his visit to oil-rich Nigeria Thursday with an address to the country's lawmakers in which he was expected to outline the policy of the world's fastest-growing economy toward Africa, the world's poorest continent.
During the first day of the visit, President Hu and his Nigerian counterpart President Olusegun Obasanjo presided over the signing of a string of agreements covering cooperation in energy, telecommunications, infrastructure development and health.
"From our assessment this is the century of China to lead the world," Obasanjo said. "And when you're leading the world we want to be very close behind you."
Hu said his visit to Nigeria was in pursuit of closer ties for both nations in order to expand "mutually beneficial cooperation and promote further development of strategic partnerships."
Nigeria is the top African producer of crude oil and the seventh-largest in the world, normally pumping 2.5 million barrels a day.
In January, China's state-controlled oil firm CNOOC announced it had reached a deal to pay US$2.3 billion for a 45% state in a Nigerian offshore oil field.
With 130 million people, Nigeria is also a major market for Chinese-produced goods.
In the last five years, China's trade with Africa has grown fourfold to US$40 billion in 2005.
China's growth has sparked a global race with the West for markets and industrial resources. Africa has become a frontier of opportunity for the world's most populous country and its fastest growing economy.
That has meant opportunity, aid and even key diplomatic support - China is a veto-wielding United Nations Security Council member - to some governments shunned by the West, like Sudan and Zimbabwe. Hu also visits Kenya in a few days' time. [ 27-04-06 0942GMT ]
Document DJI0000020060427e24r000w2

DIARY - Political and General News Events from April 26
6,775 words

27 April 2006

10:35 AM

Reuters News

LBA

English

(c) 2006 Reuters Limited
*** Please note Reuters will issue this diary at an additional new time of 0630 GMT daily, followed by 0900 GMT, then 1430 GMT. ***
All times in GMT unless otherwise stated.
Items marked ** denote new or amended listings.
Media clients will also receive around 0700 GMT a daily REUTERS WORLD NEWS OUTLOOK which highlights key events for the coming week.
Please note that this diary is sent in six takes.
APRIL 2006
THURSDAY, APRIL 27
SOFIA - Foreign ministers of NATO member-states meet (to April 28). U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to attend.
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush speaks at "Volunteer Week" event.
THE HAGUE - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende meets with Romanian counterpart Calin Tariceanu.
ABUJA/NAIROBI - Chinese President Hu Jintao gives speech to Nigerian National Assembly on China's relations with Africa (1000). Hu then travels to Kenya to discuss aid and economic cooperation issues.
MOSCOW - G8 Health Ministers meeting (to April 28).
ANKARA - Turkey's powerful National Security Council meets, expected to discuss army's spring offensive against Kurdish rebels and concern over Iraq and Iran. ** HELSINKI/PARIS - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets Finnish President Tarja Halonen, news conference (0715). Abbas moves to France later (to April 28).
BUDAPEST - Hungary's ruling Socialist Party to start coalition talks with the liberal Free Democrats.
SKOPJE - A group of EU lawmakers expected to visit Macedonia as part of their probe into allegations made by rights groups and newspapers that the CIA abducted prisoners in Europe, flew them to other countries and ran secret prisons in the bloc (to April 29). ** CAIRO - President Hosni Mubarak gives early May day speech.
CARACAS/WASHINGTON - Deadline for Venezuela and the United States to reach agreement on lifting restrictions on Venezuelan airlines flying to the United States. Venezuela has threatened to impose ban on some U.S. carriers if safety restrictions are not ended.
RIGA - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko visits Latvia (to April 28).
WEST BENGAL, India - Third phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal. ** LUXEMBOURG - Court of First Instance, the EU's second highest court, continues hearing on Microsoft's appeal against the European Commission's landmark antitrust ruling ordering it to change its business practices.
MOSCOW - Russia marks centenary of the State Duma (to April 28). President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), Rene van der Linden visits to take part in celebrations.
ABUJA/NAIROBI - Chinese President Hu Jintao gives speech to Nigerian National Assembly on China's relations with Africa (1000). Hu then travels to Kenya to discuss aid and economic cooperation issues.
LUXEMBOURG - Luxembourg's Parliament is expected to vote on new takeover legislation, a law that could affect Mittal Steel's bid for Luxembourg-based Arcelor.
PARIS - Aeronautics/defence conference organised by Les Echos newspaper. Speakers to include Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie. ** BEIJING - Beijing police force demonstrate security preparations ahead of the 2008 Olympic games. ** SINGAPORE - Declaration of candidates ahead of May 6 general elections. ** ABU DHABI - Palestinian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar in UAE, as part of Arab tour to gain support for new government. ** NAIROBI - U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour expected in Kenya to discuss human rights in Somalia with U.N. officials based in Nairobi, including Secretary General special representative Francois Fall. ** TOMSK - German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Siberia.
FRIDAY, APRIL 28
UNITED NATIONS - IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei due to report to the U.N. Security Council by April 28 on Iranian compliance with a demand to halt uranium enrichment.
KATHMANDU - Nepal's dissolved parliament which was reinstated by King Gyanendra earlier this week will hold its first session.
BANGKOK - Thailand's top judges to meet to find a solution to the country's political crisis in response to a rare intervention by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
WASHINGTON - The State Department issues its annual "Patterns of Global Terrorism" report, which includes a list of state sponsors of terrorism.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California Democratic Convention, to nominate a candidate to oppose Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger, begins (to April 30).
KUWAIT - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to visit Kuwait (to April 30). ** JOHANNESBURG - Former South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma faces closing arguments in the Johannesburg rape trial.
BEIRUT - Self-set deadline by Lebanese political leaders to try to agree on the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud.
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush hosts counterpart Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan at the White House.
ROME - The new Italian parliament expected to convene for the first time following the April 9-10 general election.
TOKYO - Japan's cabinet expected to approve a bill to revise the 1947 Fundamental Law of Education in what would be the first changes since its enactment during the U.S.-led postwar occupation. The revision calls for greater stress on the respect for tradition, love of the nation and contribution to international peace.
LONDON - Next Eritrea-Ethiopia talks in London with the Boundary Commission.
BRUSSELS - Brussels Forum event (to April 30); keynote addresses by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
PARIS - President Jacques Chirac meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
LONDON - Adel Yahya, accused of conspiring with five others to cause explosions on or before July 21 last year, makes next court appearance.
HELSINKI - Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja is visited by Swedish counterpart Jan Eliasson. The foreign ministers will discuss the future of EU, the constitutional treaty and other EU issues.
CALIFORNIA - Deadline for environmentalists to gather 598,105 signatures of registered Californian voters to get the "Clean Alternative Energy Act" on the Nov. 7 ballot. The measure if enacted would tax oil production to fund a range of alternative energy efforts.
BERLIN - German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier meets his counterpart from Oman, Youssef bin Alawi bin Abdullah (1400).
SOFIA - Foreign ministers of NATO member-states meet (final day).
KIEV - President Viktor Yushchenko to chair a meeting with government ministers and regional governors.
BAGHDAD - First anniversary of the formation of Iraq's first democratically elected government in over 50 years.
HOLLYWOOD - 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. [20060427 143545 GMT]
SATURDAY, APRIL 29
THAILAND - Next round of by-elections to fill 13 empty seats that are preventing parliament from meeting and prolonging a constitutional crisis.
DUBAI - The World Travel & Tourism Council sponsors a special meeting with prominent industry leaders from across the Middle East and the world.
ABUJA - Main opposition All Nigeria People's Party holds national convention to nominate presidential candidate and national officers.
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush addresses the annual White House Correspondents dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel. ** KOENIGSWINTER, Germany - Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks at a CDU-conference (0800).
BAIDOA, Somalia - Somali interim government and United Nations launch country-wide reconciliation effort.
ROME - Speakers of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies to be elected.
ADDIS ABABA - Japanese Prime Junichiro Koizumi to visit Ethiopia (to May 1).
NEW YORK - The March for Peace, Justice and Equality is held, a demonstration calling for an end to the war in Iraq and organized by United for Peace and Justice, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, National Organization for Women, Friends of the Earth, U.S. Labor Against the War, Climate Crisis and other groups. The march kicks off in Manhattan, just north of Union Square and proceeds along Broadway to Foley Square, where the Peace and Justice Festival takes place.
BRUSSELS - Brussels Forum event (second day, to April 30), speakers include European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Vice-President Guenter Verheugen, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. Also separate panel discussion with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy on "Can the EU and US save Doha?"
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES/BAHRAIN/KUWAIT - Greek President Karolos Papoulias on visit (to May 2).
KERALA, India - Second phase of Assembly elections in Kerala.
SUNDAY, APRIL 30 ** GENEVA - Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile visits Switzerland where he is expected to meet incoming U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab.
GENEVA - Deadline for WTO member countries to agree on a draft free trade deal. Trade ministers at the Hong Kong ministerial conference last year decided to put back the deadline for agreeing a draft free trade deal until the end of April.
LAOS - General elections.
UNITED NATIONS/TEHRAN - U.N.-deadline for Iran to abandon its uranium enrichment program or face sanctions.
STOCKHOLM - 60th birthday of King Carl Gustaf of Sweden.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan, Iran and India expected to hold talks on the proposed gas pipeline from Iran to India through Pakistan.
N'DJAMENA - Final day for U.S.-led oil consortium to pay Chad atleast $100 million to circumvent a World Bank freeze on oil profits or else face halt in oil production. The World Bank has frozen oil profits from a pipeline in Chad saved in a London escrow account in a dispute over how the revenues are spent and Chad has threatened to stop oil production if the payment is not made.
DOHA - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on visit (to May 1).
ABUJA - Deadline set by the African Union for the Abuja talks to yield a peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the rebel groups in Sudan's Darfur region.
HAITI - Elections for local government officials. BELGRADE - Deadline for Serbia and Montenegro to arrest former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic who is wanted by the United Nations war crimes tribunal to face charges of genocide.
NICOSIA - Women from Cyprus attempt to form the world's longest chain of bras with the twin aims of heightening awareness of breast cancer and winning a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The Cypriot, British and Dutch organisers hope to string together as many as 100,000 bras to beat the current record of 79,000 bras held by Singapore.
BRUSSELS - Brussels Forum event (final day) Panel on "The Middle East: From Europe's backyard to America's Front burner". Separate panel discussion on "Do we need a Transatlantic energy security policy?", and "Culture, Identity and Integration - a new transatlantic challenge", with Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
MAY 2006
UNDATED
KABUL - Britain assumes command of NATO mission in Afghanistan.
PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN - U.S. military plans to hold its first joint military exercises with Afghanistan and Pakistan along the border of the two countries.
MONDAY, MAY 1
WASHINGTON - Latino immigrants and their supporters stage a one-day strike and commercial boycott to pressure Congress to