Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Ms. YAN Yuqing, said that there are some falsehood about United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, which was voted and adopted at the 26th session of the UN General Assembly on the issue of restoring the legitimate rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations.

She explained that Taiwan is not a country but an inalienable part of China’s territory since ancient times.

“As early as 230 A.D., there were references to Taiwan in Chinese literature during the Three Kingdoms Period. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties (10th-14th Century), successive Chinese central governments exercised administrative jurisdiction over the Penghu and Taiwan regions. In 1885, Taiwan was re-established as a province, which was China’s 20th province at that time.

In 1895, Japan began its colonial rule over Taiwan through a war of invasion. The Cairo Declaration issued by China, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1943 stated that it was the purpose of the three allies that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, such as Northeast China, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be restored to China. The Potsdam Proclamation was signed by China, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1945 reiterated that “The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out.” In September of the same year, Japan signed the instrument of surrender, in which it promised that it would faithfully fulfill the obligations laid down in the Potsdam Proclamation.

“On October 1st, 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded, and became the only legitimate government of the whole of China. From what I have mentioned above about history, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same lineage, the same roots and the same culture. We have always respected, cared for and benefited our compatriots in Taiwan, and we have continued to deepen cross-Strait exchanges, cooperation, integration and development, and to share development opportunities,” she said.

Accoeding to her, UNGA Resolution 2758 made it clear politically, legally, and procedurally that there is only one China in the world. The resolution also made clear that there can only be one seat representing China at the UN and precluded the possibility of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”

“Taiwan, as a province of China, has no basis, reason or right to join the UN or its relevant agencies and any voice questioning UNGA Resolution 2758 is against the trends and history, and is doomed to failure.

Yuqing noted that since Nigeria recognised the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole lawful Government representing the entire Chinese people in 1971, bilateral relations have developed robustly and smoothly.

She said that FOCAC, attended by the leaders of 53 out of 54 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, along with nearly 6,000 Chinese and foreign guests, adopted by consensus the Beijing Declaration on Jointly Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era.

“Mutual support and joint efforts over the past 53 years between China and Nigeria have led to fruitful cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Nigeria has become China’s largest engineering contracting market in Africa, the second largest export market, the third largest trading partner and a major investment destination country, with bilateral trade volume reaching a remarkable level of $22.56 billion in 2023. “Chinese companies have been actively participating in projects such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Dangote Refinery, the Lagos Blue and Red Line Light Rail, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway and so on, significantly promoting local economic and social development, and improving people’s livelihoods. Standing on a new historical point, China and Nigeria, under the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, will deepen mutual trust and cooperation in various fields, firmly support each other’s core interests, join hands to build a high-level China-Nigeria Community with a shared future, and uphold a new international order based on equity and justice,” she added.