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
French Upper Volta Yaméogo, was the leader of the Voltaic Democratic Union (UDV). The 1960 constitution provided for election by universal suffrage of a president and a national assembly for five year terms; however, soon after coming to power, Yaméogo banned all political parties other than the UDV. French Upper Volta Upper Volta () was a colony of French West Africa established on 1 March 1919, from territories that had been part of the colonies of Upper Senegal and Niger and the Côte d'Ivoire. The colony was dissolved on 5 September 1932, with parts being administered by the Côte d'Ivoire, French Sudan and