China has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s participation in the Biafra civil war makes him understand the need to keep a country united.
This was contained in a statement credited to Wang Yi, who is the foreign affairs minister of China when he paid he visit to President Buhari on Wednesday, January 12.
Yi applauded Buhari for accepting the One China Policy and said his participation in the Biafra war cemented his perception on the unity of a country.
In fostering better relationship with China, Nigeria withdrew all diplomatic relations with Taiwan as a country and withdrew accreditation from Taiwan’s nationals.
The Taiwanese office in Abuja will be closed and moved to Lagos as a trade mission with skeletal staff.
In a joint statement by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both Nigeria and China, the two countries affirmed their territorial sovereignty while also affirming the One China policy.
“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 unification”.
President Buhari has also reiterated to Igbo leaders that the task to keep Nigeria united was important for everyone and promised to continue to carry out projects in the south east region where the agitation for Biafra secession has increased.
Secessionist groups have been carrying our protest calling for the creation of an independent Biafra state.