The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has reaffirms it’s One-China policy and called on Nigerian journalists to continue to uphold accuracy while reporting the status of Taiwan.
Speaking at an interactive session on China-Africa relations in Abuja, the Director, Political Sector, Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Zhu Songbo said Taiwan remained an inalienable part of China.
Mr. Songbo explained that the Taiwan Question was a legacy of the Chinese Civil War and purely a matter of China’s internal affairs.
“On October 1, 1949, the People’s Republic of China was established. Some defeated Nationalist military and political personnel retreated to Taiwan. With the support of the U.S. government, they occupied Taiwan. Thus, the Taiwan Question is mainly about the relationship between the sole legitimate government representing all Chinese people, with its capital in Beijing—the People’s Republic of China—and the Taiwan authorities. This Question should be resolved by the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait themselves”.
“The essence of the Taiwan Question is the struggle between separatism and anti-separatism, between ‘Taiwan independence’ and opposition to ‘Taiwan independence’, with the core being the contest between ‘One China’ and ‘Two Chinas’. The Chinese government and people uphold the One-China principle, resolutely oppose any conspiracies aimed at splitting the country or nation, and firmly reject any attempts to create ‘Two Chinas’, ‘One China, One Taiwan’ or pursue ‘Taiwan independence’”.
Mr. Songbo cautioned against the use of terms such as “Republic of China,” “Taiwan Embassy,” or “Ambassador of Taiwan,” which he said suggest recognition of Taiwan as a separate country.
“The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognises the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government representing the whole of the Chinese people’. Since that, Nigeria has been adhered to the one-China principle. China appreciate Nigeria’s effort, including the relocation of the Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria out of Abuja in recent years. Last year, during President Tinubu and Foreign Minister Tuggar’s visit to China, China and Nigeria signed two joint statements, reaffirming that ‘The Nigerian side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, acknowledges that there is but one China in the world, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. Nigeria opposes any form of “Taiwan Independence” or interference in the internal affairs of China and firmly supports all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification’”.
He urged Nigerian media professionals to continue to support mutual cooperation between both nations by avoiding misrepresentations that could undermine China’s national interest.
A Former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, commended China’s diplomatic posture in Africa and urged sustained support for post-conflict reintegration in Nigeria.
The Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Abuja, Professor Sheriff Ibrahim, highlighted the historical and legal backing of China’s claim over Taiwan, pointing out that Since 1949, the People’s Republic of China had been the sole representative of China in the global community.
“And there emerged a revolutionary government, which is the Communist Party of China, which became solely the representative of the government and people of the People’s Republic of China. Then going back to United Nations organization, the position of China was actually consolidated and ratified at the 26th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The right of China was being restored to serve as the sole representative of the people of China. There was no two China or one China, but only the central government of the Communist Party remains solely the representative of the people of the People’s Republic of China. Then in 1978, the joint communique was issued between the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America.
When the particular communique was jointly published, it became conspicuous that the United States of America acknowledged the unilateral existence of China and only one China existing, and Taiwan was part of China. This was from the United States of America in 1978, when they jointly issued this particular communique with the People’s Republic of China. Then in 1982, there was the fifth session of the Fifth National Congress of the People’s Republic of China”.
A lecturer at the International Institute of Journalism Abuja, Dr. Austin Maho raised concerns about the Taiwan Trade Mission in Nigeria, criticizing its renewed activities in Abuja, despite its official relocation to Lagos in 2017.
The Director, Centre for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, explained that understanding the Taiwan question required a clear view of history deeply rooted in China’s past and the geopolitical shifts of the 19th and 20th centuries.
But it was very clear that the government in Beijing is the sole legitimate government. Just like we had in places like Angola, where it was clear that the only legitimate national organization, prior to independence, was the NPA. And Nigeria, with other African countries, in 1949. Nigeria among 26 African countries were part of those who struggled for the return of China to the United Nations.
And by the way, China was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945. And a member of the Communist Party was also those who signed the signature to the founding of the United Nations. So the fact is, all along, all along, Taiwan had never been anything other than an integral expression of Chinese sovereignty, admitted by the KMT government, the KMT government, the Kuomintan. And until 1971, they even sat in the United Nations in representation of China, until it was expelled in 1971. And in this, it is very important to recognize, when 76 countries in the world finally brought China to the United Nations, that is the government in Beijing, Nigeria also was among the 26 African countries. And just before this, before this October, Nigeria and China had established diplomatic relations in February, February 10, 1971
Our Correspondent reports that the speakers noted that peaceful reunification remained the guiding principle, with offers of high autonomy for Taiwan should it agree to reintegrate under Beijing’s leadership.
