Nigeria continued to observe with keen interest China's increasingly rising economic, political and diplomatic profile and would like to cooperate in the areas of technology, transportation, agriculture and infrastructure development, said the minister.

"Nigeria and China share common interest in the development of agriculture, hence Nigeria would very much require assistance from China on the modern farming technology to promote its non-oil products," Maduekwe said.

One-China policy

"Nigeria remains unequivocal in its commitment to the one-China policy and over the years it has stood solidly behind China on this issue. Nigeria believes in one indivisible China and perceives Taiwan as an integral part of China," the Nigerian Foreign Minister stressed in the interview.

On some Hollywood actors' recent attempt to call on a boycott against Beijing 2008 Olympics for political reasons, the Foreign Minister expressed his disagreement.

"Nigeria strongly believes that China is very capable of hosting the Olympics and it has been committed to the success of the game. Nigeria is of the view that politics should be divorced from the Olympics, if this international event is to live up to its biding as a unifying factor for all nations," he said.

The upcoming visit by Yar'Adua will be his first visit to China since he assumed office in May 2007.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2008)