Photo exhibition in Nairobi to mark 81st anniversary of Taiwan's restoration

 

A photo exhibition to mark the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China was held on Friday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, bringing together diplomats, scholars, industry leaders and media practitioners.

Organised by China's Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau in partnership with several organisations, the event was held under the theme of "Remembering Taiwan's Restoration, Advancing National Reunification." The one-week exhibition features four thematic sections and more than 30 photos.

Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, said the historical fact of Taiwan's restoration, together with international legal instruments, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, constitutes a key link in the historical and legal chain underwriting the one-China principle.

On Oct. 25, 1945, a ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan Province of the China war theatre of the Allied powers was held in Taipei, and Taiwan, which had been under Japanese colonial rule for 50 years, was finally restored to China and returned to the embrace of the motherland, she said.

In 2025, the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress designated Oct. 25 of each year as the "Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration," she added.

Guo said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Kenya has always abided by the one-China principle and properly handled Taiwan-related issues.

She noted that in the joint statement issued during Kenyan President William Ruto's state visit to China in April 2025, the Kenyan side "resolutely opposes any form of 'Taiwan independence' and supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification."

Erastus Mwencha, former deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, said the restoration of Taiwan in 1945 marked the end of the Treaty of Shimonoseki of 1895 and a monumental moment of restored integrity for the Chinese nation. History is a living reminder of the sacrifices nations make in defence of their identity, freedom and dignity, he said.

Mwencha recalled that when the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 in 1971, restoring the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China, 26 African nations voted in favour.

"Our relationship was not born out of mere commercial interest or diplomatic convenience; it was forged in the crucible of a common struggle against colonialism and foreign domination," he said, citing China's support for African liberation movements from the 1955 Bandung Conference to the construction of the TAZARA Railway.

Ying Qiang, director of Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau, said the exhibition is being held in five African countries -- Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria and Mozambique.

"It is a look back at an important chapter of history, an act of remembrance for the fruits of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, and above all an affirmation of peace, justice and historical fact," said Ying.

Ying said that the photographs on display capture the historical moments of Taiwan's restoration and the course of the Chinese nation's resistance to foreign aggression, alongside the struggle for national liberation.

"Through these images, we hope our African friends will gain a more vivid understanding of the historical background, the historical facts and the historical significance of Taiwan's restoration, and a deeper appreciation of the firm position of the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Ying added.