Xinhua takes Taiwan restoration exhibition to five African countries

Nov 23 - China's state-owned news agency Xinhua is bringing a photo exhibition celebrating Taiwan's restoration after World War II to five African nations. Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria and Mozambique will host the displays, showcasing historical images to bolster China's stance on national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The show aims to strengthen cultural ties between China and Africa, emphasizing the shared historical struggles against foreign rule. Xinhua's Africa Regional Bureau Director, Ying Qiang, explained during the Nairobi opening that photographs serve as the most direct witnesses to history, providing a clear account of Taiwan's return from Japanese colonial rule in 1945.

He noted that the exhibition highlights China's position on the island's future while fostering people-to-people connections. The event, themed "Remembering Taiwan's Restoration and Advancing National Reunification," coincides with Beijing's intensified efforts to defend the one-China principle and counter Taiwan's pro-independence movements.

The initiative is part of a broader China-Africa cultural exchange program in 2026, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations and the Year of People-to-People Exchanges between the two continents. Xinhua hopes the exhibition will bridge Chinese and African communities, encouraging dialogue and mutual understanding through historical imagery.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan, reiterated China's firm commitment to national reunification, stating that efforts to challenge Beijing's position on Taiwan would not alter this determination. He emphasized that Taiwan is an integral part of China and that the historical trend will lead to eventual reunification. Guo also highlighted the exhibition's role in commemorating the sacrifices made during China's war against Japanese aggression, preserving historical memory, and reinforcing Beijing's claim to Taiwan.

Former African Union Deputy Chairperson, Erastus Mwencha, observed that Taiwan's restoration resonates with Africa's own experiences of colonialism and the fight for independence. He pointed to China's support for African liberation movements and the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway as examples of solidarity, advocating for continued peaceful engagement across the Taiwan Strait.

Qin Minxue, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification in Eastern Africa, urged overseas Chinese communities to preserve historical memory and promote understanding of China's perspective on Taiwan, seeing the exhibition as a way to honor those who resisted colonial rule and to educate younger generations on the historical significance of Taiwan's restoration.