Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, CON, mni, on Thursday held a high-level bilateral meeting with China’s Minister of the Department of Equipment and Development, Air Chief Marshal Xu Xueqiang, on the sidelines of the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum.
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation in defence technology transfer, indigenous military production, and broader defence-industrial collaboration between both countries.
Discussions centred on four key areas: building stronger industrial partnerships between Nigerian and Chinese defence manufacturers, enhancing Nigeria’s technical and institutional capacity in the defence sector, promoting interoperability through training and exchange programmes, and identifying feasible and sustainable areas for technology transfer in line with Nigerian laws and international obligations. 
According to the Ministry of Defence, the talks reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to pursuing transparent, practical, and mutually beneficial agreements aimed at boosting national defence capability while supporting economic and technological growth. Both sides agreed to mandate relevant agencies to conduct follow-up technical studies and develop proposals that could lead to concrete programmes and formal agreements.
The 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which convenes defence ministers, military leaders, and security experts from across the world, provides a platform for dialogue on global and regional security challenges. Nigeria’s participation highlights its determination to remain actively engaged in international defence diplomacy and capacity building.
LV