China has called on Kenya and the international community to rally behind the push for the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland, with Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan warning that attempts to promote Taiwan independence would not succeed.
Speaking during the opening of a photo exhibition in Nairobi, marking the 81st anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration, Guo thanked Kenya for honouring the One-China principle. She noted that in a 2025 joint statement issued during President Ruto’s state visit to Beijing, Kenya stated its resolute opposition to any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ and its support for Chinese government efforts to achieve national reunification.
“China highly appreciates the position of Kenya and believes that Kenya will continue to abide by the one-China principle and firmly support China’s position on issues concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she said.
She described resolving the Taiwan question and achieving complete national reunification as central national objectives, and called on other countries to support them.
“We are convinced that compatriots on both sides of the Strait share the same roots and origins and form a community with a shared future,” Guo said. “The motherland must be reunified, and will surely be reunified.”
The exhibition, titled ‘Remembering Taiwan’s Restoration, Advancing National Reunification’, opened at China Square in Nairobi on Friday, ahead of the anniversary marked on October 25. It features historical photographs documenting events surrounding the end of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan in 1945 and reflects Beijing’s position that Taiwan is an integral part of China.
Guo accused the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and “Taiwan independence” forces of working with external forces to separate Taiwan from the mainland.
“The attempts by the DPP authorities and ‘Taiwan independence’ forces are doomed to fail. They can never change the fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor can they stop the historical trend of China’s eventual and inevitable national reunification,” she said.
The event brought together diplomatic representatives, Chinese community leaders, and Kenyan figures. Speakers highlighted historical experiences of colonialism, national sovereignty, and the longstanding relationship between China and Africa.
Former African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson Erastus Mwencha backed respect for the One-China principle but stressed peaceful engagement across the Taiwan Strait. He recalled that Africa fully supported UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971, which seated the People’s Republic of China as China’s only legitimate UN representative. He said this showed the continent’s belief that international institutions must respect the sovereign equality of states.
“The African Union’s unwavering commitment to the One-China policy reflects this principle. We continue to hope that cross-Strait relations will remain characterised by peace, dialogue, and constructive engagement in the interest of regional and global security,” Mwencha said.
He also thanked China for extending duty-free market access to 53 African countries, calling it “a golden opportunity to promote outward trade and inward investments.”
The President of the Association for the Promotion of China’s Peaceful Reunification in East Africa, Qin Minxue, also called for peace. He cited the historical, cultural, and family ties across the Strait and said overseas Chinese have a duty to preserve historical memory and pass their heritage to younger generations.
“At a time when tensions across the Taiwan Strait continue to attract international attention, peace, dialogue, and mutual understanding are especially important,” he said. “We should work towards peaceful development, avoid confrontation, and contribute to regional stability.”
Zhao Jian, Vice President of the Kenya Association for the Promotion of China’s Peaceful Reunification, urged the Chinese community in Kenya to share its history with young people and strengthen unity. He also called on them to engage with Taiwan compatriots, contribute to local development, and deepen China-Kenya relations.
The Nairobi show is part of a wider initiative to take the Taiwan restoration commemoration to Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, and Mozambique.
Ying Qiang, Director of Xinhua News Agency’s Africa Regional Bureau, said the exhibitions aim to help African audiences understand China’s historical experience and the Chinese government’s position on Taiwan. He said the photographs document key moments in Taiwan’s restoration and China’s struggle against foreign aggression in the Second World War, and that shared experiences of colonialism help explain China-Africa ties.
“Only by knowing each other’s history can we better understand each other’s present; only by respecting each other’s memory can we better move toward a shared future,” Ying said.
The exhibition falls within the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, which also marks 70 years since China and African countries established diplomatic relations. Organisers said historical and cultural engagement remains an important part of strengthening ties beyond trade and diplomacy.
