H.E. Mr. Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, and his wife Madam Zhang Ruizhen, are to pay a three-day official visit to Nigeria on November 6-8, 2004.

The visit will mark the last lap of their official visit to four African countries.

Before arriving in Abuja on Saturday, Nov. 6, China's number two citizen would have visited Kenya, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

While in Nigeria, Chairman Wu will pay a courtesy call on President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

He will be accompanied on the courtesy visits by his Chief Host, Chief Adophus Wabara, President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria along with some key officers of Nigeria's National Assembly, including Alhaji Aminu Masari, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He will also hold discussions with Chief Wabara and Alhaji Masari on ways of strengthening Sino-Nigerian relations, especially in legislative matters.

Chairman Wu will also discuss with Nigerian leaders on ways to expand trade and investment between the two sides.

It is expected that the visit would further boost the very cordial relations between China and Nigeria.

In particular, it will enhance trade ties between the two countries which have maintained a steady growth in the past five years, rising from 578.43 million US Dollars in 1999 to 1.858 billion US Dollars in 2003.