The Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) has described relations between Nigeria and China as being built on mutual respect, trust and shared strategic interests, anchored on decades of diplomatic consistency and ideological alignment.
The statement noted that during President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing alongside leading American business executives, global attention was again drawn to the strength of economic interdependence in international relations. However, it said the enduring issue underpinning China’s foreign policy remains its commitment to the One-China Principle.
“For China, this is a matter of sovereign certainty. The People’s Republic of China is the world’s only legitimate Chinese government, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory. This is not a position Beijing has hedged or softened across decades of shifting global politics. It is the bedrock on which China conducts its diplomacy and evaluates the reliability of its partners. China’s consistency on this question reflects not inflexibility, but the depth of a national conviction rooted in history, sovereignty and the long arc of Chinese civilisation, and for nations that share these values, China has proven to be a committed and consequential partner,” the statement said.
It added that Nigeria has maintained a consistent position on the One-China Principle since establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1971, grounded in its foreign policy tradition of respect for sovereignty, non-interference, and the right of nations to self-determination.
“Nigeria is one such nation. Since establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1971, Nigeria has maintained a clear, principled and unbroken adherence to the One-China Principle. This position flows directly from Nigeria’s own foreign policy tradition, grounded in respect for sovereignty, principle of non-interference and the belief that nations must be free to determine their own paths. Nigeria and China share a philosophical foundation that gives their relationship a depth that goes well beyond transactional interest,” it said.
The NCSP stated that this position was further reinforced during a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2024, where both countries reaffirmed their diplomatic alignment.
“That shared foundation received its most authoritative expression when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met President Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2024. The joint statement was unequivocal: Nigeria affirmed adherence to the One-China Principle, recognised the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal authority representing the whole of China, regarded Taiwan as an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and expressed full support for China’s pursuit of national reunification. These were not words of diplomatic courtesy. They were the deliberate reaffirmation of a partnership grounded in mutual respect and long-term strategic alignment,” the statement added.
It further noted that Nigeria’s position has been consistently supported by the National Assembly, citing remarks from the House of Representatives Committee on China-Nigeria Parliamentary Relations.
“Nigeria’s legislature has reinforced this position with equal clarity. Recently, the Hon. Jafar Yakubu, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on China-Nigeria Parliamentary Relations recently confirmed that Nigeria’s stance is clear, consistent and firmly rooted in international law and bilateral agreements. Nigeria’s commitment to the One-China Principle is not the policy of one administration. It is a settled, cross-institutional expression of national conviction,” it said.
The NCSP said Nigeria’s consistency on the policy has strengthened trust with Beijing and created opportunities for deeper cooperation through the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, particularly in manufacturing, technology transfer, industrial development and export-driven growth.
It added that China has already played a role in Nigeria’s infrastructure development, including railways, ports, energy, telecommunications, and industrial capacity, but stressed that there is potential for greater collaboration in sectors such as the digital economy, solid minerals, agro-processing, and consumer markets.
The statement concluded that the partnership is focused on delivering measurable economic outcomes through trade, investment, infrastructure development and capacity building.
Joseph Tegbe is the Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership
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