Nigeria Reaffirms One-China Policy, Seeks Deeper Economic Partnership With Beijing

By Our Correspondent—

The Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) has reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the One-China Principle, describing the country’s position on Taiwan as settled, consistent, and non-negotiable.

The reaffirmation comes amid renewed global attention on China’s insistence that the People’s Republic of China remains the sole legitimate government representing China, with Taiwan regarded by Beijing as an inseparable part of its territory.

According to the NCSP, Nigeria’s adherence to the One-China policy dates back more than five decades to the establishment of diplomatic relations with China in 1971, and has remained a cornerstone of bilateral relations between both countries.

The agency noted that Nigeria again demonstrated its commitment during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2024, where both nations issued a joint statement reaffirming Nigeria’s recognition of the People’s Republic of China as the only legal government representing the whole of China.

The NCSP said Nigeria also expressed support for China’s pursuit of national reunification during the high-level engagement.

The statement followed heightened diplomatic conversations surrounding the Taiwan issue after a recent visit to Beijing by a United States delegation reportedly led by President Donald Trump alongside leading American business executives.

Director-General of the NCSP, Joseph Tegbe, said Nigeria intends to build on its longstanding diplomatic ties with China to unlock broader economic opportunities in manufacturing, technology transfer, industrialisation, and export-driven production.

Tegbe observed that China has played a major role in supporting Nigeria’s infrastructure development through investments in railway projects, ports, energy facilities, telecommunications, and industrial expansion.

He stressed that the partnership should now evolve into deeper collaboration in Nigeria’s digital economy, solid minerals development, agro-processing, and consumer markets to create a more balanced and productive economic relationship.

The NCSP reiterated its commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China across trade, infrastructure, investment, technology transfer, and capacity building, with the ultimate objective of delivering measurable economic benefits to Nigerians.