China has paid glowing tribute to Nigerian soldiers who fought in Burma during the Second World War, acknowledging their sacrifices as part of the global resistance that secured victory over fascism eight decades ago.
Speaking at a symposium in Abuja on Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said the commemoration was not about rekindling hatred but reaffirming a shared global commitment to peace. He stressed that both Nigeria and China bore heavy costs in the conflict, and their sacrifices remain a lesson for humanity.
Ambassador Yu hailed the role of the Communist Party of China in mobilising national resistance against Japanese aggression, adding that Nigeria’s support during the war cemented a bond that has matured into today’s comprehensive strategic partnership. He also commended Abuja’s consistent recognition of the One-China principle, noting that the alliance between both nations now carries “global significance beyond bilateral scope.”
“We remember the Nigerian soldiers who fought in British Burma,” Yu said. “They played a unique role in our shared fight for victory. Today, we pledge together that such tragedies must never happen again. At this new historical starting point, let’s safeguard the outcomes of WWII victory and inject stability into the international community.”
Director of the Centre for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, recalled the 1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident as the spark of Japan’s full-scale invasion. He explained how China’s protracted resistance tied down nearly a million Japanese troops, forging a new national consciousness that still defines its political system and foreign policy today.
Similarly, Prof. Sheriff Ibrahim of the University of Abuja outlined six enduring lessons from the war: patriotism, unity, justified resistance against tyranny, rejection of colonialism, international cooperation, and resilience. He urged nations to adopt multilateralism and trust-building as safeguards against future global conflicts, describing China’s wartime resilience as a paragon for peace.
Stakeholders at the symposium also linked China’s post-war trajectory to its enduring philosophy of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, noting that initiatives such as the Belt and Road, Global Development, Global Security, and Global Civilization frameworks represent Beijing’s vision for a shared future with humanity.
The event underscored that as leading voices of the Global South, Nigeria and China must deepen cooperation in security, trade, and diplomacy to ensure that the sacrifices of WWII soldiers—Nigerian and Chinese alike—remain a foundation for global peace rather than forgotten history.
