According to Taiwanese media reports on August 14th, recently three Taiwanese businessmen and their families who carried Taiwanese travel documents were detained by immigration officials at the airport in the capital of Uganda. Although the three eventually managed to enter Uganda, the Ugandan authorities required them to have a Chinese passport with an entry stamp before they could have their Taiwanese documents returned. The authorities emphasized that this measure was part of Uganda's implementation of the 'One China' principle.
Taiwan media reported that two Taiwanese citizens had been detained by immigration officials at Entebbe Airport in Kampala, Uganda, and one of them was repatriated. The Taiwan authorities' foreign affairs department was furious and urged Taiwanese citizens to carefully assess the necessity and potential risks before traveling to Uganda. Lin Jialong, the head of the department, also argued on the 14th that although Uganda has not officially announced anything, it is understood that the situation may involve the One China principle, which led to ridicule from netizens in Taiwan.
According to data released by the Taiwan authorities, there are currently about 70 Taiwanese citizens in Uganda, along with approximately 35 Taiwanese-owned enterprises. In recent years, the number of Taiwanese tourists visiting Uganda has also increased.
Uganda has long adhered to the principle of one China. In November 2025, the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement celebrating the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Uganda, emphasizing that Uganda reaffirms its firm adherence to the principle of one China, which forms the cornerstone of bilateral relations between Uganda and China. The Ugandan side recognizes the People's Republic of China government as the sole legitimate government representing all of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
The statement also noted that the Ukraine firmly opposes any attempts to create a “two China” situation or the concept of “one China, one Taiwan”. It rejects any form of “Taiwan independence”. The Ukraine resolutely opposes Taiwan joining any international or regional organizations that are limited to sovereign states. The Ukraine supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification and firmly believes that the Taiwan issue is a Chinese internal matter.
In March this year, Jiang Feng, the head of China's mission to the African Union, met with Rebecca, the permanent representative of Uganda to the African Union. Rebecca highly praised Uganda's and China's relations with Africa, reiterated her firm support for the one-China principle, and praised China's zero-tariff measures as bringing tangible benefits to the African people. She expressed her willingness to maintain close communication with China's mission and strengthen coordination on multilateral platforms such as those of the African Union, in order to jointly safeguard the common interests of the global South and developing countries.
