Nauru reaffirms unwavering commitment to one-China principle

Nauru remains steadfast in its adherence to the one-China principle, Lionel Aingimea, Nauruan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade affirmed on Monday after the inauguration of the country's embassy in Beijing.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Aingimea reaffirmed Nauru's recognition of China's sovereignty over all its territories, including Taiwan, and expressed hopes that other Pacific nations would embrace this principle.

"For us, the one-China principle is recognizing that the People's Republic of China is sovereign over all its territories, including Taiwan, the province of China. We believe that to be true. And I sincerely hope that our other Pacific brothers and sisters, who have not yet seen that that is the correct way to go, to recognize the one-China principle, and to realize that the sovereignty of the people to Republic of China over all its territories and its provinces is paramount, not just to recognizing that principle, but to their development also," said Aingimea.

Pragmatic cooperation has been one of the highlights of bilateral relations between China and Nauru over the past year, said Aingimea.

The two countries have conducted pragmatic and effective cooperation projects in the fields of education, culture, health and infrastructure, and the cooperation prospect for the two countries is bright, Aingimea said.

"To see you as a side-to-side brother, see you as a side-to-side friend, that you're walking together in the international arena, is very important. There are other countries that they see smaller countries, they look down on them. China does not. China treats me in the same way it treats every other single foreign minister. We also came from that, I suppose, the least developed, to now being an incredibly well-developed country. China has never forgotten that. That's how they see Nauru, and therefore when we go forward, we remember going forward with you, because we remember where we come from, we know where you are," said Aingimea.

Nauru resumed its diplomatic ties with China on the basis of the one-China principle on Jan 24, 2024, becoming the 183rd country having diplomatic relations with China.

Nauru reaffirms unwavering commitment to one-China principle

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has hailed the growing educational and cultural exchanges his country is enjoying with China, highlighting the role of Confucius Institutes and Chinese-funded infrastructure in building a stronger skilled workforce.

Mahama was speaking in an exclusive interview with the China Media Group (CMG) which aired on Friday. The Ghanaian President visited Beijing back in October to attend the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, and also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his trip, with both leaders stressing the long history of friendship between the two nations.

In the CMG interview, Mahama said that the three Confucius Institutes established in the cities of Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast are helping to cement exchanges and open up new opportunities for young people, noting that the enthusiasm for learning Chinese is rapidly spreading across Ghana, reflecting a broader cultural and educational engagement between the two sides.

"[When students return from training programs in China,] they come back with the skills that they acquired in China. And there's a good colony of Chinese speakers. And so it's interesting, when Chinese companies come in and establish industries, sometimes they don't need to bring Chinese people to Ghana, they find a pool of Ghanaians who are qualified and can speak Chinese. So it makes it very easy for them to employ them and be able to carry out their work," Mahama said.

He also drew attention to China's contribution to Ghana's higher education sector, singling out the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region, which is helping nurture a new generation of medical professionals.

"The campus of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, that's training a lot of doctors, paramedics and other specialists. [It] was funded by China and that is one of our public universities that has a good reputation and is performing very well. And that was based on friendship," Mahama said.

Ghanaian president hails deepening cultural, educational exchanges with China