Burkina Faso–Taiwan relations the sole legitimate representative of all of China. On May 24, 2018, Burkina Faso derecognized the Republic of China. Burkina Faso, known as the Republic of Upper Volta prior to 1984, entered diplomatic relations with the Republic of China in 1961 , the year after the country gained independence from its former colonial power, France. Relations continued for over a decade, until 15 September 1973 when the regime of Upper Volta – led by Major General Sangoulé Lamizana, who had come to power in a 1966 military coup – derecognized the ROC and instead opened relations with the People's Republic
Upper Volta at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Upper Volta was represented by a single athlete in the athletics, André Bicaba, making his only appearance at the Olympics. He took part in the sixth heat of the men's 100 metres, finishing 5th with a time of 10.71 and failing to advance to the quarter finals. Following the 1972 Games, Upper Volta considered sending athletes to the 1976 Summer Olympics, but joined with 28 other countries in a boycott after the IOC allowed New Zealand to participate in the Games, despite the breach of the international sports boycott of South Africa by the nation's rugby