The China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) says it is committed to promoting and strengthening bilateral and cultural ties between China and Nigeria through the “Dragon Boat Festival,” a cultural exchange programmme.
CCCC communicated this in a document released by its Programme Manager, Jin Haibing and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
The document said the festival was held at the CCCC’s Enugu New Town road project site.
It said the event brought together Chinese and Nigerian employees to promote cultural understanding, friendship and people-to-people relations.
The document said participants at the event watched a bilingual documentary on the history, traditions and customs of Dragon Boat Festival, one of China’s most important traditional celebrations.
It said Nigerian employees introduced the Igogo Harvest Festival to their Chinese counterparts, highlighting its historical significance in preserving local traditions and community values.
The document said that the exchange programme enabled both groups to explore cultural similarities, particularly values such as patriotism, gratitude, unity, hard work and collective pursuit of prosperity.
“Participants described the interaction as enriching and capable of fostering mutual respect and stronger workplace relationships.”
It quoted Haibing as saying that the programme was in line with China-Africa cultural exchange and part of the activities marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria.
“Cultural exchange remains an important pillar of China-Nigeria relations and complements ongoing cooperation in infrastructure development and economic growth.
“The dragon boat festival celebration demonstrates how infrastructure cooperation can serve as a bridge for deeper cultural engagement and stronger people-to-people connections.”
It said a highlight of the events was a culinary session, where Nigerian workers taught Chinese colleagues how to prepare “Okpa” a popular delicacy in southeastern Nigeria, encouraging teamwork and cultural learning.
The document said CCCC reaffirmed its commitment to localization and community engagement.
It highlighted CCCC’s efforts to combine infrastructure development with cultural engagement, creating stronger bonds among workers while contributing to broader China-Nigeria relations.
“Beyond constructing of roads and infrastructure, the company remained dedicated to promoting cultural exchange, skills development and community support in its areas of operation.”
It said employees from both countries expressed hopes for successful project delivery, continued cooperation and enduring friendship between China and Nigeria.
The document noted that the event reflected the growing role of cultural diplomacy in strengthening bilateral relations and demonstrates how shared experiences could deepen the longstanding partnership between the two nations.(NAN)
