The Federal Government of Nigeria has cut all diplomatic relations with Taiwan and said that it will no longer recognise Taiwan as a country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, who spoke at joint news conference with the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, said that Nigeria had withdrawn all diplomatic relations with Taiwan as a country and that Taiwanese office in Abuja would be shut down and relocated to Lagos.
According to him, Nigeria has communicated Taiwan and they are moving to Lagos as soon as possible.
“Taiwan will stop enjoying any privileges because it is not a country that is recognized under international law and under the position we have taken internationally, we recognize the people of China.
“Taiwan will not have any diplomatic representation in Nigeria and also they will be moving to Lagos to the extent that they function as a trade mission with a skeletal staff. Chinese Government does not oppose trading with Taiwan as long as there is no formal contact with the Government that will suggest recognition of Taiwan as sovereign country.”
According to him, China does not oppose relationship with Taiwan in the level of trade but not on government to government level.
The minister, however, said that Nigeria was not pressurized to take the decision, but that the development was a bit of anomaly on the side of Nigeria.
He said that Nigeria recognized the People’s Republic of China as country because Nigeria was one the leading African nations that fought for China to reclaim its seat at the UN Security Council from Taiwan.
He said that the step being taken was to right the wrong that one could not specifically say how it came.
“It was not very clear how it got into Nigeria system – an arrangement for the Taiwan for a trade mission.
“And in grating the right of the trade mission it did not accurately reflect the nature of relationship between Nigeria and Taiwan.”
Onyeama said that the country took the decision to remove any iota of doubt in the mind of the Chinese people.
He said on the issue of building trust, the international community had embraced one China and China is a member of the United Nations “and we don’t want to leave any doubt on the issue.” The minister stressed that Nigeria would adhere to it completely, saying that Nigeria as a nation, would do everything to realize the One China Policy as well as any effort that would promote the peace and well being of the People’s Republic of China.
According to Onyeama, China is one of the countries that have been in full support of reforms in the UN that would see Africa having two seats at the UN Security Council, as such deserved to be supported in her unification drive of One China.
Meanwhile, China and Nigeria signed a joint statement and made same to the public today. The full text of the statement is reproduced here:
Joint Statement by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
The Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are committed to strengthening the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries to the benefit of their peoples.
The Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reaffirm their respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reaffirms that the one China policy is at the core of its Strategic Partnership with China.
The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes that there is only one China in the world, that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reiterates not to have any official relations or engage in any official contacts with Taiwan, and supports all efforts made by the Chinese Government to realize national reunification.
The Government of the People’s Republic of China appreciates the above position and the recent measures taken accordingly by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and reaffirms its commitment to actively developing China-Nigeria Strategic Partnership across the board. [myad]
