Uganda reaffirms non-recognition of Taiwan as independent state 

Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a strong declaration, reiterating its “firm commitment to the One China Principle” on the occasion of the 63rd Anniversary of Uganda-China Diplomatic Relations. 

The move sees Kampala affirming Beijing’s core political doctrine, a stance that has serious implications for its growing ties with the economic superpower.

The statement, signed by Permanent Secretary Bagire Vincent Waiswa, reaffirms that the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is the sole legal Government representing all of China, of which Taiwan is deemed an inalienable part. 

The ministry went further, asserting that Uganda maintains no official or diplomatic relations with Taiwan and opposes any attempt to create “two Chinas” or support “Taiwan independence” in any form, including Taiwan’s efforts to join international organisations.

Uganda’s declaration lands in the middle of one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical disputes. 

The Taiwan question dates back to the Chinese Civil War; when the Communists won in 1949, the defeated Nationalists fled to the island of Taiwan, establishing a rival government known as the Republic of China (ROC). 

The mainland PRC views Taiwan as a renegade province that must be reunified, by force if necessary, while Taiwan remains a self-governed democracy. 

Most members of the United Nations adhere to the One China Principle, a diplomatic prerequisite set by Beijing to establish relations.

For Uganda, this forceful reaffirmation is interpreted by analysts as more than a simple diplomatic gesture; it is seen as further evidence of a long-term ideological and economic reorientation toward the East. 

Over the last decade, Uganda has cemented its relationship with China, securing billions in loans for major infrastructure projects, including roads and hydropower dams.

Critics have often raised concerns that this deepening alignment with Beijing, and the accompanying increase in debt exposure, signals a move away from traditional Western partners and a growing acceptance of China’s non-interference policy.