Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon, calling for joint efforts to pursue greater development of bilateral relations. Xi said he was pleased to get acquainted with Tinubu, who is in the Chinese capital for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit to China. "Nigeria is a major African country with significant influence, large population size and great development potential. I believe that Nigeria will make even greater achievements in the national development and reform under your leadership," Xi said. "Since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than half a century ago, China and Nigeria have always respected each other, treated each other equally and embarked on a path of self-strengthening through unity and win-win cooperation. At a new starting point, the ever-growing strategic coordination of China and Nigeria, two major developing countries, will inject new dynamics into China-Africa relations in the new era and guide the Global South countries to work together in advancement. Here I propose to elevate our bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership," he said. "We jointly convene the new FOCAC summit this time, and will work together to review the historical experience of China-Africa friendship and push for the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. In recent years, China and Nigeria have cooperated closely within the framework of the Forum and jointly implemented a large number of exemplary and strategic cooperation projects. I'm ready to work with you, Mr. President, to give full play to the exemplary and driving role of China-Nigeria cooperation and jointly push for new and even greater development of China-Nigeria and China-Africa relations," he said. At the invitation of Xi, Tinubu arrived in China on Sunday morning to attend the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC, which is set to be held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday, and pay a state visit to China.