By Joy Odor
The Director, China Cultural Centre in Nigeria (CCCN), Yang Jianxing has on Saturday informed that the 6th Edition of China-Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council Table Tennis Annual Tournaments promote cultural exchange and people-to-people diplomacy between Nigeria and China in sports calendar.
The CCCN Director who stated this in his address at the opening of the tournament said the table tennis is a popular sport in both Nigeria and China that provides a platform for the people to come together, compete, and learn from each other.
According to him, it is a testament to the growing friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and China, and believed that sports and cultural exchange programs like the tournament are essential to achieving the goal in strengthening the bonds of friendship between both countries.
Mr. Yang commended the Nigeria government and its people for their friendly support and looked forward to continuing to work together to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between two countries.
In his contribution, the Director of China General Chambers of Commerce, Cui Guangzhen described the competition as a catalyst for building ties between both nations.
He mentioned that Nigerians had been winning medals which shows they were really good at Table tennis sport.
In his speech, the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council, Mr. Patrick Osaretin Osadebamwen commended the players commitment to the shared goals to compete in a spirit of friendship and sportsmanship.
According to him, while language barriers may exist, both nations have found ways to communicate and connect through sports, noting that event is a testament to the power of cultural exchange and the importance of building bridges between nations.
“At the end of the day, we will crown a champion, but more importantly, we will have fostered greater understanding and cooperation between our peoples” he said.
Also the Chairman, FCT Table Tennis Association, Navy Captain Jelani Umar appreciated the support of the Chinese Embassy in the tournament.
Represented by the Deputy Director, Sports Development, FCT Sports Department, Iyiola Ogundele, Umar assure that the Association’s doors will remain open to journalists to build on a partnership that is beyond Table Tennis to other sports.
“China as we all know, is renowned for its prowess in table tennis and we see this tournament as an opportunity to learn from the best. We wish to therefore sincerely appreciate the embassy for their support
“Part of our plans in the Association is to nurture young talent and revive the sports in primary and secondary schools across the FCT in order to catch them young.
“It is truly inspiring to see the Nigeria Union of Journalists championing the course of reviving one of the spots that have brought Nigeria a lot of glory in the past.
“I extend our sincere appreciation to everyone involved in organizing this tournament. I want to assure you on behalf of the association that our doors will remain open to you to build on this partnership beyond Table Tennis to other sports” he said.
