On November 24, 2006, the new Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Xu Jianguo, paid a courtesy call to H.E. Mr. Aminu Masari, House Speaker of National Assembly of Nigeria.

Ambassador Xu conveyed the warm greetings of H.E. Mr. Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China to Mr. Masari. The ambassador said that China and Nigeria enjoyed long-time friendship and witnessed the establishment of the Strategic Partnership in early 2006, and the Chinese side hopes to work continuously with the Nigerian side to bring the bilateral friendly relations and cooperation to a new high. Ambassador Xu promised to exert the utmost to fulfill his mission. In addition, the Ambassador informed the Speaker that the first China-Africa direct flight managed by the China Southern Airline Company will set sail soon between Beijing, China and Lagos, Nigeria.

The Nigerian House Speaker asked Ambassador Xu to transmit his heartfelt greetings to Chairman Wu. Mr. Masari highly appraised the development of the bilateral relations and expressed his solid confidence in further development of friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and China. Besides, the House Speaker expressed his warm welcome and appreciation to the oncoming China-Nigeria direct flight.