Taiwan is Not China: The Time When Kenya Incurred the Wrath of Taiwan After ‘Costly Mistake’

In showing loyalty to China, African countries have been forced to do some rather stupid things in the past – some of which are not justifiable and completely difficult to understand.

In 2016, there was a furious row between Taiwan and Kenya over what the Asian country termed a complete insult and disregard for its legitimacy by Kenyan authorities.

On the other hand, the East African country took the said actions out of fear of incurring the wrath of the Asian giants – China, which has become a major donor and benefactor to the African continent. Kenyan wasn’t ready to gamble all that free cash it was getting from China.

But what really happened?

It all started after some Asian professionals were found guilty of running illegal telecommunications operations in Kenya. The accused – totaling 40 and made up of 35 Chinese nationals and 5 Taiwanese were arraigned before a Kenyan magistrate court.

The court acquitted the accused after the prosecution ‘failed to prove its case against them.' But the trial magistrate, Joyce Gandani ordered the repatriation of the foreign nationals back to their home countries.

Chaos broke when John Chen, a representative of the Taiwanese government based in South Africa drew attention to the fact that the five Taiwanese citizens were sent to China, not Taiwan because Kenyan authorities claimed that they would recognize Taiwan as an independent country due to diplomatic ties with China.

It is no news that China threatens sanctions against any country that recognizes Taiwan as an independent country. China wants to continue its colonization of the country and has refused to recognize its autonomy.

“Kenyan authorities sent in a clandestine manner the five Taiwan nationals, together with 35 Chinese, on board a plane which flew to China,” Chen said in a statement.

The Taiwan Foreign Ministry confirmed the actions and expressed serious disappointment at the East African country.

Making worse an already tensed issue, Mwenda Njoka, the spokesman for the Kenyan interior ministry when asked about the case said:

“They have been taken back to where they came from; we do not have any relationship with Taiwan”.

This led to countless protests, with many Taiwanese citizens in Kenya returning back to their country. Till date, there still remains unresolved diplomacy between the two countries.

What are your thoughts? Was Kenya right to send the Taiwanese citizens to China instead of sending them to their home country?

Header Image Credit: Flickr