Taiwan Will Never Be a Sovereign Nation, China Declares

China on Thursday renewed its strong opposition to Taiwan independence, declaring that the island remains part of its territory and can never attain sovereign nation status.

The position was made known in Abuja during a Media Salon organised by the Centre for China Studies and the Centre for Contemporary China-Africa Research on the theme: *“Understanding the One-China Principle and Its Role in Deepening China–Nigeria Strategic Relations.”*

Addressing participants at the forum, Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Dong Hairong, said recent international activities involving Taiwanese authorities highlighted what she described as persistent attempts to distort the global understanding of the Taiwan issue.

She referred to the recent visit of Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te to Eswatini and separate engagements involving Taiwanese officials and some Nigerian journalists, describing them as part of efforts aimed at expanding separatist influence internationally.

Dong maintained that the status of Taiwan had long been settled historically and legally, insisting that the island forms an integral part of China.

“Taiwan has never been a country, was never one and will never be,” she said.

According to her, the People’s Republic of China became the sole legitimate government representing the entire Chinese nation following its establishment in 1949, while the 1971 United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 further affirmed the One-China principle internationally.

She noted that the resolution recognised only one Chinese seat at the United Nations and rejected the notion of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”

The envoy accused pro-independence groups in Taiwan of working against regional stability by promoting separatist agendas with external support.

Despite this, she said Beijing remained committed to peaceful reunification and continued cooperation across the Taiwan Strait.

Dong also commended Nigeria for maintaining support for the One-China principle since diplomatic relations between both countries began in 1971.

She recalled that during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to China last year, Nigeria reaffirmed its opposition to Taiwan independence and support for China’s territorial integrity.

According to her, the policy alignment between both countries has helped strengthen bilateral relations and deepen cooperation in several sectors.

She cited the recently completed ECOWAS headquarters building in Abuja, constructed with Chinese assistance, as one of the outcomes of the growing partnership.

Dong further highlighted China’s zero-tariff policy for exports from 53 African countries, including Nigeria, saying the initiative would provide expanded access for Nigerian agricultural commodities such as cocoa, ginger, sesame and cashew nuts.

She urged Nigerian media organisations to avoid descriptions or references suggesting Taiwan enjoys sovereign or diplomatic status, insisting that such characterisations contradict internationally recognised agreements and Nigeria’s official position.

Also speaking, Convener of The Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Showunmi, described China as an emerging global power whose influence in technology, trade and industrial development could no longer be ignored.

He said Nigeria should focus on building a stronger strategic partnership with Beijing in areas such as manufacturing, education, technology transfer and infrastructure development.

According to him, the benefits Nigeria stands to gain from long-term cooperation with China far outweigh any potential engagement with Taiwan.

“In another 100 years, what Nigeria will gain from a strong relationship with China, Taiwan will not be able to provide in 1,000 years,” he said.

Showunmi also urged China to increase local content participation in Chinese-funded projects in Nigeria to enable more Nigerian engineers, manufacturers and investors benefit directly from such initiatives.

He further called for deeper cooperation in tackling insecurity, arguing that China should play a more active role in supporting Nigeria’s efforts against insurgency and terrorism.

The former Ogun State governorship aspirant proposed the establishment of a permanent Nigeria-China Strategic Economic Council to coordinate industrial and technological cooperation between both countries.

In his contribution, Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria and Director of the Centre for China-Africa Research, Prof. Ghali Ibrahim, argued that Taiwan lacks the legal standing required to qualify as an independent state under international law.

He said international diplomacy and state relations are fundamentally built around interactions among sovereign entities, a condition he argued Taiwan does not meet.

“Taiwan is not an independent sovereign entity but rather a territory that is part of China,” he stated.

Ghali also praised China’s approach to the Taiwan issue, saying Beijing had consistently pursued peaceful reunification despite longstanding tensions.

According to him, 53 of the 54 African countries currently recognise the One-China principle, with Eswatini remaining the only African nation maintaining formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

He maintained that no major country would willingly surrender what it considers part of its sovereign territory, describing the Taiwan issue as central to China’s national identity and territorial integrity.