In a bid to celebrate the 47th anniversary of China-Nigeria diplomatic ties, the Government of the Peoples Republic of China has offered scholarships to 47 students of the University of Calabar.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjiang, while presenting the award to the school management, said that Nigeria and China had many things in common.
PingJiang said, ”while China has the largest population in Asia, Nigeria has the largest population in Africa.
“Also, we are the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the World while Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa”.
Pingjiang also praised the management of the University of Calabar for its strides in academic and infrastructural development within four decades of its existences.
Thanking the Chines Government for choosing the institution for the scholarship award, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Zana Akpagu said the gesture was a testimony that UNICAL was receiving international recognition.
Akpagu, therefore, announced that the institution had initiated a move to set up an Institute of African and Asian Studies.
The 47 beneficiaries of the scholarship according to the News Agency of Nigeria were drawn from various departments of the university.