On January 11, 2017, when jointly meeting the press with Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama of Nigeria in Abuja, Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed that China appreciates Nigeria for adhering to the one-China principle and taking decisive measures to solve problems left over by history that affect political mutual trust between the two countries. Adhering to the one-China principle meets the expectations of the people and the trend of the times.

Wang Yi said that Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama and I, on behalf of respective government, just signed a joint statement on adhering to the one-China principle. In this statement, Nigeria acknowledges that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, expresses that the one-China principle is the core of Nigeria-China strategic partnership, and explicitly promises that Nigeria will not conduct any official exchanges with Taiwan. Nigeria also stressed that they support all efforts China makes in safeguarding national unity.

Wang Yi pointed out that the one-China principle concerns China’s core interests and is the premise and basis for China to maintain and develop friendly relations with countries all over the world. Taiwanese offices functioning in Nigeria have conducted events that are not consistent with their identity and have obviously violated the one-China principle over the years. In April last year, President Xi Jinping reached important consensus with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria on adhering to the one-China principle and safeguarding the political foundation of bilateral relations. Nigeria has fulfilled its commitment and taken a series of decisive measures recently. Nigeria has made strict order on Taiwanese offices functioning in Nigeria to remove their plates, change their names, move out of the capital, cut powers and downsize staff, and also has forbidden Nigerian government officials and agencies to conduct any official exchanges with Taiwan. By this way, this problem left over by the history that affect China-Nigeria political mutual trust has been completely resolved and political obstacles that disturb the healthy development of China-Nigeria relations have been eliminated.

Wang Yi expressed that this political decision made by Nigeria conforms to the fundamental interests of Nigeria and its people, the international law, the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, the consensus reached by the international community and the one-China pattern in today’s world, which we highly affirm and appreciate. This event proves again that adhering to the one-China principle meets the expectations of the people and the trend of the times. China’s realization of complete national reunification is a mighty trend that can never be held back.