China insists Taiwan not sovereign nation, defends territorial integrity
China Reiterates One-China Principle Regarding Taiwan
ABUJA, Nigeria — China has reaffirmed its stance on the One-China principle, asserting that Taiwan is not a sovereign nation but rather an integral part of Chinese territory.
Dong Hairong, a counselor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, made this statement during a media event hosted by the Centre for China Studies and the Centre for Contemporary China-Africa Research on Thursday.
During her remarks, Hairong emphasized the importance of increasing global awareness surrounding the Taiwan issue and China’s territorial claims. She referenced recent events, including Taiwan’s regional leader Lai Ching-te’s visit to Eswatini and interactions between Nigerian journalists and Taiwanese officials, as efforts to propagate separatist narratives.
“Taiwan has been an inalienable part of Chinese territory since ancient times,” Dong proclaimed. “Taiwan has never been a country, was never one, and will never be.”
In a related discussion, Segun Showunmi, convener of The Alternative Movement, argued for Nigeria to enhance its strategic partnership with China. He highlighted China’s emergence as a significant global economic and technological power, asserting that Nigeria would benefit more from strengthened relations with Beijing than from independent dealings with Taiwan.
“In another 100 years, what Nigeria will gain from a firm relationship with China, Taiwan will not be able to provide in 1,000 years,” he stated.
Prof. Ghali Ibrahim, provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria and director of the Centre for China-Africa Research, also spoke, supporting the One-China principle as one that has garnered broad global acceptance. He reiterated that Taiwan does not possess the legal status of an independent sovereign state.
“Taiwan is not an independent sovereign entity but rather a territory that is part of China,” he said.
