Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Abuja on Wednesday on a two-day state visit to Nigeria at the invitation of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In a statement given at the airport, Hu said although China and Nigeria were geographically far apart the friendship between the two countries went back a long way. .

Since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 35 years ago, Hu said, bilateral relations have withstood the test of time and international changes. They had entered a mature stage of sustained and steady development.

The Chinese side treasured bilateral relations and would make concerted efforts with Nigerian promote bilateral friendship and cooperation, said Hu.

He said he expected to exchange in-depth views with Obasanjo on furthering bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern.

He hoped the visit would help enhance bilateral mutual understanding and trust, deepen bilateral traditional friendship, expand bilateral reciprocal cooperation in various fields and push forward the continuous growth of the bilateral strategic partnership.

Sino-Nigerian trade hit US$2.83 billion in 2005, up 29.6 percent year on year.

Nigeria is the fourth leg of Hu's five-nation tour which has taken him to the United States, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. He will also be visiting Kenya.

(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2006)