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Tag: Taiwan

  • Taiwan: ‘Big Brother’ (China) is watching you!

    Taiwan: ‘Big Brother’ (China) is watching you!

    By Olayinka Oyegbile

    Republic of China otherwise known as Taiwan is interpreted and viewed differently in many quarters. Although it has very little or no official diplomatic relations with many nations (only 12 at the last count), especially the powerful ones, some of the world’s powerful countries such as the United States of America, United Kingdom, Japan, and a few others recognise it even if they don’t deal with it as a sovereign nation. It is a country of ‘concern’ not in the negative sense to them.

    In an earlier part of this travelogue, I have tried to establish how this came to be. For instance, the US does lots of strategic businesses with Taiwan and has always warned Chinanot to back off. From feelers, the United States may come to the rescue of Taiwan in case of any attack. However, the experience of Ukraine with Russia has made a few analysts to doubt if America would be ready to lift a finger in its defence.

    According to records, the trade volume between both countries (US and Taiwan) has been growing significantly in the last few years. For instance, in 2024, the United States imported much more from Taiwan than it exported. About $159 billion goods were exported thus making Taiwan a major US partner in trade even though there are no official diplomatic relations between the two nations. Taiwan is the eighth largest sources of imports to the States and its 10th largest export market. The major Taiwanese exports to the US are semiconductors, computers, and steel, while U.S. exports focus on machinery, military tech, and data processing gear.

    Since the advent of President William Lai of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan, the quiet tension between China and Taiwan has heightened because the Communist leaders in China see the DPP president as a challenger of the dominance of China in the affairs of the island nation. China has therefore increased pressure on the island by organising military parade and exhibition perhaps as a way of showing Taiwan and others that it has the firepower.

    This is a tenuous situation which many Taiwanese are opposed to. They believe their democracy is working for them and are therefore not interested in having their affairs dictated to them from Beijing. For instance, after the recall election of some KMT legislators failed in July, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) accused the ruling DPP of “political manipulation” claiming the party had lost public support. However, in replying to the criticism, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Beijing, which operates a system that is far from being democratic, has no right or experience to comment on the recall election.

    According to MAC, the Beijing authorities “lack democratic experience, and therefore have no right to comment on, or misinterpret, Taiwan’s democratic system.” It went ahead to explain that the recall vote was a demonstration of Taiwan’s democratic constitutional system. Rather than see the failure of the recall as a setback, it said it was a triumph of its democratic experience that should be protected and upheld.

    A daily reading of major media reports, electronic, print and online, in Taiwan shows this line of arguments and thoughts. Those who support the mainland authorities and those who are against daily express their opinions across all media in the country. It shows clearly the overarching influence of China in the affairs of Taiwan, while Taiwan in return tries to demonstrate its independence and show that its democracy works.

    In July 2025, six different Taiwanese choir groups had gone for achoral competition at the Tokyo International Choir Competition in Japan. However, the Chinese authorities mounted pressure on the organisers to remove the national flag of Taiwan and replace the participants name not as Taiwanese but as “Chinese Taipei”, as part of the “One China policy”. After a long back and forth, the organisers of the event in Tokyo bowed to pressure and eventually removed the national flag of Taiwan. This did not go down well with Taiwanese authorities. The Taiwanese Deputy Representative Chou Shyue-yow, who was sent to cheer the choir to victory, condemned the act as unfair. He accused Japan of allowing another country dictate its policies to it. It was not the first time Taiwan was participating in the yearly event.

    Chou described the Chinese action as an interference in a sovereign country’s internal affairs, adding that the Japanese public knows that Taiwan and China are two distinct countries. He called it China’s brutal political tactics to suppress Taiwan’s choirs, emphasising that Taiwan is known for its high-tech industry, freedom and democracy, globally. According to him, Taiwan was already gaining worldwide attention and recognition, and that China’s arrogant suppression cannot change the fact that “Taiwan is Taiwan, and China is China.”

    As in George Orwell’s 1984 novel, that Taiwan is being watched by the “Big Brother” is not lost on the citizens. The awareness is being propagated on all media spaces. On August 2, 2025, a new TV series Zero Day Attack, was screened in Taipei. The premiere was watched by top a U.S. diplomat Raymond Greene, who is the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, as well as a Taiwanese tycoon Robert Tsao, a strident critic of Beijing and a host of other important personalities.

    In the series, which was first shown on Japanese Amazon Prime Video, the film is about a Chinese war plane which goes missing near Taiwan. China then sends a horde of military boats and planes for a blockade. The unleashing of the military boats led to panic on the streets of Taipei.

    Reuters news agency quoted a 35-year-old Blair Yeh after watching the premier as saying, “Presenting such a situation (of conflict) can lead to more discussion about what we should do if it really turns into reality one day.” The issue treated by the film is a very delicate topic which Taiwanese filmmakers and directors have been avoiding because of the fear of losing their large market in China if they treat controversial political topics that the Beijing authorities may frown at.

    Many African countries have no diplomatic relations with Taiwan (perhaps) due to the domineering influence of China in Africa, which the respected American journalist and media scholar, Howard French, has written a book in which he describes Africa as “China’s Second Continent”.

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    The only African country that has diplomatic relations with Taiwan is Eswatini. All the others because of the huge investments (size) and loans owed China quake in their boots when China sneezes over Taiwan!  This is regrettable according to Sabella Abidde, a professor of Political Science at Alabama State University who is a leading scholar on Africa-China-Taiwan Relations. He is of the view that “Of greater regret is the fact that — except for Eswatini — no other African country has the will, the courage, the integrity, and the political sensibility to rebuff China. I am aware that the PRC wields a heavy stick; therefore, no African government is willing to confront her in favor of a Two-China Policy. Taiwan is also good for the peace and prosperity of states and societies in Africa.”

    At a recent public function in Taipei, the Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao, who has been subject of attacks by Chinese authorities over his educational policy in the country, declared himself “an elegant Taiwanese,” adding that he is not afraid of being labeled by China as a “diehard Taiwan independence advocate.” He was responding to China’s Taiwan Affairs Office which had designated him, along with the Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang and High Prosecutors’Office prosecutor Chen Shu-yi, as “diehard Taiwan independence advocates.”

     Cheng told a Taiwanese newspaper the label would not affect his commitment to educational professionalism, promising that he would continue to fulfill the responsibilities stipulated by the Fundamental Act of Education to cultivate “a new generation with a strong sense of national identity, love for Taiwan and appreciation for the Republic of China [ROC], while also being deeply rooted locally and globally minded.”

    He went ahead to declare that “The ROC is a sovereign and independent country, different from the ROC that retreated to Taiwan under [former president] Chiang Kai-shek’s regime in 1949, and it has absolutely no relation to China.”

    He emphasised that education is to enlighten the mind and liberate citizens to know their history, “In daily life and in the international community, we are usually referred to as Taiwanese. These distinctions should be clearly explained to children through historical and international perspectives, rather than being conflated. What we aim for is a democratic and law-governed society, and education should help children develop a clear, stable and non-contradictory understanding.”

    Whichever way you look at it, Taiwan, which early Portuguese sailors called “Formosa,” meaning “Beautiful Island” (Ilha Formosa), is a beautiful bride being eyed and watched by you know who….Will the world let it be?

    (Concluded)

    Dr Oyegbile, journalist and media scholar just concluded a postdoctoral fellowship at Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD).

  • Taiwan: From autocracy to democracy

    Taiwan: From autocracy to democracy

    • By Olayinka Oyegbile

    In the first part of this travelogue, I gave an insight into how Taiwan passed through its teething period in nationhood. In this continuation, I intend to deal more with its democratic structures and how it handles democratic challenges and continues to work at perfecting it.

    The road to democracy for the country was not smooth. In 1947, the ROC Constitution was promulgated. However, in March, troops were dispatched from mainland China to put down the uprising by residents of Taiwan as a result of what came to be known as the February 28 Incident.

    By 1948, through a mixture of various events and with the full-scale war in China between the Kuomintang-led ROC government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a National Mobilisation for Suppression of Communist Rebellion was enacted. This overrode the ROC Constitution and expanded presidential powers to do lots of things the government thought was necessary to curb or suppress rebellion on the island.

    As a result of the defeat of the ROC government by the Communists, Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang-led government moved the seat of its government to Taiwan. He was followed by about 1.2 million loyalists. This was the beginning of the promulgation of the martial law in 1947, which lasted till 1987.

    I have taken the interest in narrating this story because my four-month post-doctoral research fellowship facilitated by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) was for me to spend those months to research into the effects of the martial law and compare it with the military decrees that we had in Nigeria.

    Taiwan and Nigeria have since become democratic. Taiwan spent 38 years under the martial law with the death of many pro-democracy activists. In 1996, it returned to an elective democracy with Kuomintang’s (KMT) Lee Teng-hui winning the election with 54 per cent of the votes.

    Four years later (2000), the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under the leadership of Chen Shui-Ban was elected as president, thus breaking the over half a century hold on power by the KMT. It was the first-ever direct transfer of power by the ROC government.

    Eight years later (2008) the KMT came back to power with Ma Ying-jeou taking over from the DPP.  In 2012, he won his re-election. He was succeeded by Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP, who served for two terms from 2016 to 2024 before her party’s candidate Lai Ching-te, the incumbent president, won the general election in 2024.

    The tenure of President Lai has been dogged with tension and increasing palpable fear that China, which has always claimed “Taiwan is a province of China” might launch an attack on the country anytime. This has informed some of the actions that the Taiwanese government has been taking and how it reacts to world events.

    Internally, most of the citizens are aware of this, but they are determined to maintain the democracy the country enjoys and the periodic elections that allow them to vote and express their will.

    Many agree that as much as there might be some similarities in their language and culture with mainland China, they are different, not only because they are a democracy but also because they don’t want to be subsumed under the hegemony of China. One of the sure tests of the country’s democracy was the recall vote of some legislators which was held between July and August, which I witnessed.

    Warming up to the election dates, one could notice at street corners, at entrances to train stations and major public buildings and streets, campaigners trying to convince voters to vote for the recall of the legislators who are mainly members of the KMT, the party that is often suspected of having a sympathy for the Communist Party in China.

    In the 2024 election, the ruling DPP won the presidency but failed to get the control of the parliament (the Yuan), which is dominated by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The recall vote was meant to whittle down their power and influence, but it failed.

    While some saw the defeat of the recall process as a failure on the part of the ruling DPP, others saw it as a test of the strength and endurance of the country’s democracy.

    Taiwan is today the world’s biggest player in the semi-conductor industry. Through the Taiwan Semi-conductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), it has dominated over 60% of global chip output and 90% of the most advanced chips.

    A British travel agency which rates cities around the world for their safety and livability, rates Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, as the second safest city to explore at night.

    Talking about safety, Taiwan is perhaps the only country I have visited where surfing of phones in the dead of the night on a lonely street is not a risk. Apart from the well-lit streets, there are no robbers or thieves ready to kill or snatch your phone!

    According to the British travel agency, Taipei is “Known for its clean streets, good lighting, and low crime. The city’s lively night markets and urban areas are safe for locals and tourists alike.”

    It added that travellers particularly enjoy Taipei 101 after dark, “when the iconic tower is beautifully lit and offers stunning nighttime views.”

    However, the recent invasion of Venezuela and the capture of former President Nicholas Maduro and his wife has brought some concern to the international community with the fear that this may embolden China which has been eyeing Taiwan for long to do same under the so called “One China policy”.

    Sabella Abidde, a professor of Political Science at Alabama State University, USA said what President Donald Trump has done “opens the door, for instance, for Xi Jinping to kidnap and try Lai Ching-te; for Vladimir Putin to snatch Volodymyr Zelenskyy; and for Benjamin Netanyahu to abduct Masoud Pezeshkian and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran.”

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    Abidde, who is the leading scholar on Africa-China-Taiwan Relations, is of the opinion that “There was and continues to be a misreading of the 1971 UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognised the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the singular representative of the Chinese World, which, for the most part, has resulted in the ‘One China Policy.’”

    Despite the odds however, Taiwanese are solidly behind the democratic system in their island and feel proud of it.

    (to be concluded)

    • Dr Oyegbile, journalist and media scholar just concluded a post-doctoral fellowship at Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD).
  • Taiwan’s bustling night markets and other interesting places

    Taiwan’s bustling night markets and other interesting places

    By Olayinka Oyegbile

    It is interesting that one of the first things a Taiwanese asks a visitor to the country is: “Have you visited the Night Market?” If your answer is no, the next response would be “Try it out. Don’t leave Taiwan without going to one.” Gracefully, they are in all neighbourhoods.

    With this challenge and testimony from citizens, the night market became a usual hunt for me to taste the flavour and feel the tempo of Taipei. They are like what we had in Africa in the past; markets where things are sold and fun and theatrics are added to make patrons enjoy themselves. Africans and Asians indeed have a lot in common!

    Night markets in Taiwan are said to have sprung up around temples, of which there are legions, during the Tang dynasty. During this period, traders and sellers of various articles and food gathered at night fall to sell their wares to workers who were there to pay obeisance to the gods. This tradition of night market grew and blossomed after World War II with the arrival new urban workers and migrants. It grew in leaps and bounds and by the late 20th century places like Shilin, Shida, Gongguan, and so on sprung up with growing corner shops. 

    The night markets are usually held by street sides and corners where traders set up their mobile kiosks with assorted food and articles. However, at the end of each day, all dirt and traces of last night trading have vanished because they all make sure they clean up the streets. They are where delicacies are beautifully displayed and all a customer needs to do is make a choice from French fries to noodles, special Taiwanese fried chicken (which was my favourite), vegetables, duck meat, beef, fish, pork and so on. However, I still think the varieties are limited, not as many as we have in Nigeria.

    Beside the interesting night markets, there are other places to visit in Taipei alone. One of the most iconic places that I found very educating and exciting is the Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) Memorial Hall. It is a vast swath of land with iconic Chinese/Taiwanese styled buildings with history writ large. It is a place where visitors from all over the world converge on a daily basis soaking in the breath of the spectacle of the memorial arcade. The size and grandiloquence of the buildings are breathtaking, all embossed in mostly white and Taiwanese colours, Visitors to the monuments are captivated and mesmerized in the splendour of the buildings.  Chiang Kai-shek (October 31,1887 –April 5 ,1975) was a politician, revolutionary, and military commander and leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 until his death in 1975.

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    A stone throw from the Memorial Hall is the National Central Library (NCL). It is a grand building that gives a lie to those who think the world has moved away from reading books. The NCL is a living testimony to the fact that technology may have affected the world of books but it has not in any way diminished its importance. The multi-floored building on a daily basis hosts thousands of Taiwanese and foreigners who troop in to read and conduct researches. Students, young and old visit and get soaked in knowledge. The managers of Nigeria’s National Library perhaps need to visit and get to see how a viable library is run in this age of technology.

    As for what a university library should be like, the place to turn to is the National Chengi University (NCCU) Library with its curvaceous building that is a cynosure on the campus. It is multi-layered with very large reading and meeting rooms, and electronic sections that could be used to host private or public meetings. It is so massive that it does not look like a university library but a national library. But this is not surprising. NCCU is the country’s elite university established by CKS to train the country’s top elites and administrators.    

    The CKS’s statue sitting on a horse stands tall in the centre of the road that serves as the fork to various parts of the campus. It is a massive statue draped with many myths and stories. The horse is rumoured to be capable of shifting positions from time to time, especially at night! According to the myth, it could be seen lifting its right front leg at a particular time of the night, while at another it would be the left with CKS waving!!

     When CKS moved to Taiwan from China, he decided to establish the elite university as a production mill to supply the administration with intellectuals and first grade administrators to run the engine of the new government. To a large extent this has been achieved. It was only recently that the university began to run science courses; it was devoted to producing top grade administrators.

    The Taipei Zoo is another place of interest to visit for anyone in search of rare animals, while the most sobering place to go is the National Human Rights Museum. A visit here would fill you with goose pimples. It is scary. It houses the grim records and pictures of the Martial Law period otherwise known as the ‘White Terror’. The period when Taiwan went through one of its most depressing periods under a terrible dictatorship. I have never visited Rwanda, but I was told that this museum and that of Rwanda are similar; a place of record to remind us as humans that we should never allow history to repeat itself. Tyranny kills; autocracy is deadly and not an option. No wonder Taiwan is a flourishing democracy.

    (To be continued) 

    Dr Oyegbile, journalist and media scholar just concluded a postdoctoral fellowship at Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD).

  • Taiwan: A country with the most efficient integrated transport system

    Taiwan: A country with the most efficient integrated transport system

    • Logistics is not an expense, it’s an investment – Michael Allosso
    • By Olayinka Oyegbile

    As a journalist and reporter, I have travelled widely around the world and a few times in Asia. I have been to Thailand (2007) India twice (2009 and 2019). So, when I arrived in Taipei, Taiwan in the early morning of June 30, 2025, to begin a four-month long research Fellowship at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD), it was my fourth visit to Asia, but the first to Taiwan. After clearing the Customs and Immigration I stepped out into the Arrival Hall of the expansive Taoyuan airport. I breathed a sigh of relief from the long journey from Lagos to Istanbul (Turkey) and finally to Taipei (Taiwan).

    While waiting to link up with my contact, I took those few minutes to savour the beauty and efficiency of the expansive facility. It reminded me of the Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris and Schiphol, Amsterdam. The clockwork efficiency blew my mind. I was captivated by the architectural beauty of the airport.

    When my chaperone arrived, we wheeled my bags toward the exit gate where I bought a travel card. It is a smart green card with the word ‘TPASS’ emblazoned across. With this ‘magic card’, I could board the train, bus and rent a bicycle! It was my ‘passport’ to commute around the city of Taipei and beyond for as long and as many times I want. I looked at the little card with a form of incredulity!

    The first test for the card came as I was to board the underground train, which is called Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). My chaperon led the way dragging. On approaching the exit point, he tapped his card and behold the little gate opened. He exited and waited for me to do the same. I was awed. I was like Alice in Wonderland. Of course, I used the wrong end of the card and the little gate refused to open! He came to my rescue and presto the gate was flung open. I had learnt my first lesson in technology.

    We made our way to the train station outside the airport.  We met a little crowd of people waiting. In a few seconds it started snaking out of the airport vicinities. We were unable to secure seats. The coaches were filled to the brim. I wasn’t bothered because by standing I was able to soak up the beauty of the environment. After sometime, the train left the underground and we were up there towering above hills, mountains and skyscrapers and beautiful greenery. I began to fantasize and salute the ingenuity of man to tame nature and subject it to his whims as commanded in the Holy Scriptures.

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    After a long ride we disembarked to board another train travelling in another direction. Before this, we climbed in and out of many escalators and I lost count and was wondering how my chaperon could figure out his way from one end of the station to another. The surprise for me was how the transport systems have been so integrated: Board the train, buses or ride a bicycle with the same smartcard! The transport system would take you there with little or no stress. 

    My first few weeks were the most challenging. I had to figure out how to board the MRT or buses to move around Taipei City. It was either I missed the bus stop in which to disembark or missed my way totally. Language was sometimes a barrier to asking for directions. However, Taiwan taught me a new lesson that my phone was more than a receiver and sender of calls and text messages. It has more capacities. Anytime I am stranded and needed to communicate, I fish out my phone and turn to Google Translate; type out what I need and show to the next person the translation in Mandarin. Pronto, I get directions to where I am going.

    One day I missed my way completely. I boarded a bus going in an opposite direction to my desired destination. At the point that I realized I was travelling in the wrong direction, I was the only passenger left in the long bus with the driver. Perhaps as a matter of rule, drivers don’t talk while driving – I guess this was to allow them concentrate on their job, besides the driver does not speak English and I don’t speak Mandarin! At the next stop a lady boarded the bus. I approached her and asked, “Please, do you speak English?” Coyishly, she smiled and retorted, “A little.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I told her where I was going. She confirmed that I was on a wrong bus! I was alarmed.  

    Graciously, she disembarked with me at the next bus stop, fished out a piece of paper from her bag and wrote my destination out in Mandarin. When the next bus heading in my direction arrived, she showed the piece of paper to the driver and handed me over to him. She told me in halting English that the driver would let me know when I get to my destination. I sat behind the driver with my heart thumping. She crossed to the other side of the road to continue her journey.

    I had learnt another lesson. The bus travelled for so long that I sometimes wondered if the driver had forgotten I was still in the bus. After some time, I started noticing some familiar landmarks and I knew I was nearing my bus stop. Then the driver spoke in Mandarin. I needed no soothsayer to tell me that he was talking to me. I stood up and walked toward the driving cabin. When he stopped, I showed him the piece of paper in my hand. He nodded to acknowledge I was at my destination. Then I saw the name of the bus stop in both Chinese and English. I tapped my T-Pass and disembarked.

     According to records, the MRT ferries over 1.9 million commuters on a daily basis in Taipei alone. A report by Taipei Times, the biggest English circulating newspaper in the country, says over 2.5 million people live in Taipei. Think of the chaos that has been avoided by transporting these millions underground! The construction of the metro began in December 1988 and began operation in March 1996!

    (To be continued) 

    •Dr Oyegbile, journalist and media scholar just concluded a postdoctoral fellowship at Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD).

  • Welcome to Taiwan

    Welcome to Taiwan

    • Taiwan’s beauty lies not only in its landscapes but also in the warmth of its people – Unknown

    By Olayinka Oyegbile

    I left Lagos, Nigeria on the night of June 28, 2025, from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. My destination was Taipei, Republic of China (R.O.C.) Not to be confused with P. R. C. which is the Peoples Republic of China or Mainland China as many refers to it. Taipei is the capital of Taiwan!

    As a journalist and student of history, I know Taiwan is different from China. But this is a very touchy issue that has dominated world history and discussion of the Asian-Pacific politics for a long time. My journey to Taiwan was as a result of winning a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD). The opportunity was to allow me travel to the country, spend four months and conduct research on the country’s martial law which was from May 1949 to July 1987 and compare it Nigeria’s Military Decrees (1966-1979, and 1984-1999). Both laws circumscribed the media and all freedom when they were in operational.

    My Turkish Airline flight which left Lagos on the night of Friday landed in Istanbul the next morning. I was enchanted by the expansive Istanbul Airport; the beauty, size and orderliness and its allure were soothing. It was a world away from the MMA1 that I left behind in Lagos. In fact, it made the MMA1 looked like a village motor park! No offence meant.

    I decided to explore the airport as a way of whiling away the over nine hours layover. However, because of the breath of spectacle in the airport moving from one Duty Free Shop to another and browsing through stacks of books at the available bookshops, I never knew time was gone. Before I could settle down in a comfortable corner to catch some little sleep, the hour was ticking and the luxury of a sleep was no longer there. I had to trace my boarding gate for the last leg of my flight.

    Anxiety gripped me not knowing what to expect in Taiwan since I speak no word of Mandarin. I was travelling to a country that I have already read about from the much I could gather online and from some of the literature I picked up at the Trade Office in Lagos while going through the application for visa process.

    However, if you grew up in the Nigeria of my time, you will remember that “Taiwan” connotes fakery. I don’t know how its origin, all I remember was that when you go to buy any imported products, the question you are often asked was: “Do you want Made in China or Made in Taiwan?”. How ‘China’ represents the original and ‘Taiwan’, the fake is still shrouded in mystery. I walked into the aircraft feeling tired and telling myself I must find out the conundrum. Did I? Please, come along with me in this chronicle of my stay in that beautiful island country of possibilities. This and other ‘myths’ about Taiwan are what I spent the next four months trying to unravel in Taipei City, the capital of the country.

    In the process of picking up my visa at the Trade Office in Lagos, I had picked up some free literature at the reception which helped to demystify and dissolve some of the myths I had carried around my head about the country. One of the publications titled Taiwan at a Glance (2019-2020), put the country’s population at 25,588,932 according to its 2018 census and it sits on 36,197 square kilometers.

    According to the publication, “The ROC (Taiwan) was founded in 1912. At that time, Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule as a result of the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki, by which the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan. The ROC government began exercising jurisdiction over Taiwan in 1945 after Japan surrendered at the end of World War II. The ROC government relocated to Taiwan in 1949 while fighting a civil war with the Chinese Communist Party. Since then, the ROC has continued to exercise effective jurisdiction over the main island of Taiwan and a number of outlying island, leaving Taiwan and China each other the rule of different government. The authorities in Beijing have never exercised sovereignty over Taiwan or other islands administered by ROC.” (emphasis mine).

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    The history of the country is wrapped in the determination of the people to show that they may have things in common with China; things like Mandarin language (Chinese), culture etc. but they are different. It is this sore point that make the two countries to view one another with mutual suspicions and caution. The publication further affirmed that in the 1500s European sailors passing through Taiwan had called it Ilha Formosa, which translates as “Beautiful Island”, and yes, it is. I can testify. Perhaps it is that beauty that makes it contentious thus making many want to befriend her!!

    The country continues to move from one hand to another during the long period from the Dutch East India Company to Spanish adventurers to the Dutch and later to the Manchurian conquest of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when the Ming loyalists under Zheng Cheng-gong drove out the Dutch and established military control over the island.

    The changes went on until 1943 when “During World War II, ROC leader Chiang Kai-sek meets with US President Franklin Roosevelt and the British Prime Minister in Cairo.”

    Taiwan has since undergone lots of changes that makes it different from China, even though China still continues to lay claim to the island. Taiwan practises elective democracy where people choose their representatives and have a say in how the country is run. China is not.

    •Dr Oyegbile is a journalist and media scholar who just concluded a postdoctoral fellowship at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) in Taipei.

  • Nigeria, Taiwan sign MoU on bilateral trade, investments

    Nigeria, Taiwan sign MoU on bilateral trade, investments

    Nigerian businesses and Taiwanese counterparts signed a historic and strategic private sector oriented Memorandum of Understanding between My Exhibition Company Limited of Taiwan (ROC) and Hybrid Culture, Technology and Innovation Promotion Initiative of Nigeria in Taipei recently.

    Both parties are capable of promoting, facilitating, sensitising and attracting investors to and from Nigeria, Taiwan and some other Asian countries.

    They are desirous to collaborate with the specific purpose of facilitating, attracting and promoting investment in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, agricultural value chain (agriculture and agro processing, livestock and poultry, animal feed and drugs, hatcheries and greenhouse equipment, post harvest storage and preservation, aquaculture etc),oil extraction, wholesale and retail trading in consumer and industrial goods, organise trade missions, roadshows, exhibitions, B2 B meetings, investment forums, in Taiwan ROC and Nigeria.

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    The private sector oriented MOU was signed by Irene Liu, General Manager, My Exhibition Co Limited and inked by Jeff Sun, Chairman, Taiwan Turnkey Association; Ambassador David Ademola Adejuwon, President, Hybrid Culture, Technology and Innovation Promotion Initiative and inked by Engr Damisayo Abiodun Adejuwon, a Taiwan based Trustee, Hybrid Culture, Technology and Innovation Promotion Initiative.

    Also present at the event are Jason Huang, Deputy Chairman of TTA, Ichie Sunday Ephraim, National President, Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mr Relich Sholbam, Acting Nigeria Trade Commissioner in Taiwan, Mr. Olusola Adekoya, CEO of Shodex Beautification Landmark Ltd.

    MY Exhibition Co., Ltd. was established in 2014 and has been providing a premier B2B platform for industry leaders and innovators in the agriculture and aquaculture sectors to collaborate, exchange ideas, and connect with international delegates and visitors.

     In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), MY Exhibition is committed to connecting Taiwan’s agribusiness with global markets, while offering international businesses a gateway to explore opportunities in Taiwan.

    It is also instructive to note that

    Worldwide Expo Services Ltd (WES Expo), established in October 1994, is not only the parent company of MY Exhibition Co., Ltd., but also the exclusive sales representative for RX Global in Taiwan region, which has a proven track record of helping SME (small and medium enterprises) expand into international markets, earning a reputation for reliability and leadership in the field of international trade show services.

    Over the past three decades, WES Expo has been instrumental in the success of more than 4,000 international trade shows, averaging over 300 events annually.

     As a pivotal partner for Taiwan’s export industries, MY Exhibition Co., Ltd., leverages over two decades of experience in overseas trade show operations, utilising successful models from major international exhibitions to offer a global business platform for Taiwan’s agricultural industries.

    Besides, support parties to My Exhibition Co Ltd includes but not limited to the following: Association of Taiwan Organic Agriculture Promotion;         

    Poultry Association Republic of China; Taiwan Frozen Meat Packers Association; Biomimicry Taiwan;      

    Poultry Sales & Development Association of Republic Of China; Taiwan Frozen Seafood Industries Association; Chinese Animal Welfare and Veterinary Exchange Association R.O.C; Swine Association; Taiwan Marine Biotechnology Society; Chung Hua Antibiotic Free Farming Association T.P.A; Taiwan Marine Cage Aquaculture Development Association.

    Others are Chungwa Plant Factory Association; Taichung Commercial Association of Feeds and Animal Health Products; Taiwan Ocean Conservation And Fisheries Sustainability Foundation;

    Corporate Legal Person Republic Of China Aquaculture And Fishery Development Association;

    Taipei Commercial Association of Feeds and Animal Health Products; Taiwan Orchid Breeders Society

    Corporate Legal Person; Taiwan Grass Shrimp And Breeding Association; Taiwan Agricultural Information Technology Association;

    Taiwan Orchid Growers Association;

    Dairy Association of the Republic of China; Taiwan Agricultural Machinery and Supplies Association;

    Taiwan Pelagic Skipjack Seine Fishing Vessel Fish Export Industry Association; Taiwan Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association; Pasturage Association Taiwan; Taiwan Poultry Processing Association; Deer Farmers’ Association, R.O.C; Taiwan Agricultural Science and Technology Resources Logistic Management Association Taiwan; Shipbuilding Industry Association; Taiwan Association for Lactic Acid Bacteria; Duck Breeding Association, R.O.C;

    Taiwan Agricultural Structures Association; Taiwan Squid And Saury Fisheries Association

    Fish Breeding Association of Taiwan; Taiwan Blue Crab Breeding Development Association           Taiwan Tilapia Alliance; Formosan Farmers Association for Swine Improvement; Taiwan Cold Chain Association; Taiwan Tuna Association;

    Goat Farmer Association, R.O.C.; Taiwan Excellent Farmers Association; Taiwan Tuna Longline Association; Goose Association Republic of China Taiwan Feed Industry Association; National Animal Industry Foundation Taiwan; Fishing Net Manufacturing Industry Association; Taiwan Veterinary Medical Association; National Fishermen’s Association Taiwan, ROC; Taiwan Floriculture Exports Association; Taiwan Veterinary Medicine and Health Industry Association; National Training Institute for Farmer’s Organization; Taiwan Food and Pharmaceutical Machinery Manufactures’ Association.

    In the same vein, Hybrid Culture, Technology and Innovation Promotion Initiative, a high level non governmental organisation was duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission on 7th February, 2025.

    The aims and objectives of the association are: To  complement governmental efforts to facilitate, promote and enhance technology, innovation for inclusive growth and mutual prosperity in the years to come; leveraging the available advance technology solutions.

    To promote and encourage deployment of advance technology solutions by private and public sectors to agriculture and agricultural value chain, mining, education, vocational skills, health, infrastructure, hospitality, culture and tourism, banking and finance, power, ICT, transportation (road, rail and air), real estate, commerce and other sectors in Nigeria.

    Going forward, both parties have agreed on the need to collaborate and organise a high level forum on agriculture and aquaculture value chains, renewable energy and finance in Taiwan in Q3 of 2026.

  • Nigeria, Taiwan chart part on integrated city planning

    Nigeria, Taiwan chart part on integrated city planning

    Taiwan’s Representative and Head of Mission in Nigeria, Andy Yih-Ping Liu, has called for stronger collaboration between government regulators, construction companies, architects, and city planners to ensure safer infrastructure and sustainable development in Nigeria.

    Speaking at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Nigeria in Lagos, Liu stressed the need for professional standards in construction and urban planning, noting that Nigeria and Taiwan have already begun working together in this regard.

     “Real estate is not just about housing or commercial buildings; it is about city planning that integrates good transportation, safe housing, and a quality living environment,” Liu said. “Taiwan’s experience can help Nigeria, especially in countering natural disasters like flooding.”

    Drawing parallels between Taiwan’s typhoons and Nigeria’s flooding challenges; Liu emphasized the importance of emergency response collaboration. He noted that government regulation, quality building materials, strict monitoring, and regular inspections were critical to preventing building collapse and ensuring long-lasting infrastructure.

    He urged Nigeria to strengthen its regulatory framework, combining local experience with international best practices, while stressing the need for effective implementation through public-private partnerships.

     “FIABCI provides a platform for both public and private sectors to work together. Beyond discussions, proposals must be taken to the National Assembly to develop strong legal frameworks that can be enforced,” he added.

    Liu highlighted Taiwan’s success in education-driven development, which created a skilled workforce and reduced illiteracy to below 2per cent. He suggested Nigeria could adapt similar long-term strategies to strengthen its human capital for national growth.

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    He further pointed to existing ties between FIABCI Nigeria and Taiwan, describing them as a “bridge” for knowledge-sharing and cooperation. He also acknowledged Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for endorsing closer partnership between the two countries.

     “Taiwan and Nigeria are very different—Nigeria has abundant natural resources, while Taiwan has learned to thrive despite natural disasters. By sharing experiences, both countries can help each other avoid mistakes and build stronger futures,” Liu said.

    ….Nigeria Chapter President, FIABCI-Nigeria, Akin Opatola, said the Annual General Meeting is significant for a few reasons. First, it is the very first AGM under his administration since he assumed leadership of FIABCI Nigeria in July 2025. That alone makes it a milestone. Second, it comes right after the successful hosting of the FIABCI World Congress. And third, it is symbolic because of the continued partnership with Knight Frank—an organization that represents excellence, leadership, and ethics, values that mirror everything real estate stands for.

     “We also use this forum to celebrate Knight Frank’s new graduates who joined the industry just a month ago. It’s our way of acknowledging their contributions and welcoming them into the profession. In addition, we are inducting about 20 new FIABCI members who successfully passed the rigorous recruitment process. Our membership remains exclusive—fewer than 200 in Nigeria despite 53 years of presence—because of the high standards we uphold”. Opatola said their induction, complete with lapel pins from France and registration on the FIABCI app, reflects commitment to excellence.

    According to Opatola, the World Congress, held for the first time in Nigeria and Africa, was another historic milestone adding that it brought together over 125 international participants and provided a platform for cross-pollination of ideas and best practices. We explored topics such as smart cities, with insights from Nigeria’s Eko Atlantic project, speakers from the UNITED Arab Emirate (UAE), and perspectives from Indonesia, which is planning a new capital city to address Jakarta’s urban challenges, the Chapter President said.

    Feedback from the Congress was overwhelmingly positive. Delegates were impressed with Lagos’ infrastructure, safety, and hospitality. The event featured golf, plenary sessions, city tours, and rich cultural experiences. Government support was strong—though President Bola Ahmed Tinubu couldn’t attend, he was represented by senior officials, while notable speakers such as former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo delivered impactful keynotes on sustainability, smart cities, and ESG. His contribution resonated so well that international participants are now inviting him to future global events, Opatola explained.

    He said the Congress also projected a positive image of Nigeria and the real estate sector, generating interest from countries like Uganda, Rwanda, and Madagascar, who are now considering setting up their own FIABCI chapters.

     “Our message to new inductees is clear: uphold the code of practice, be active, pay dues, and participate fully in councils and elections. FIABCI is unique because it cuts across the entire value chain—lawyers, bankers, architects, valuers, brokers, and more—ensuring a rich mix of expertise and perspectives”, Opatola stated.

    Looking ahead, we are keen to learn from international partners such as Taiwan. For example, their integrated industrial park model, currently being replicated in Lekki with the free trade zone, shows how Nigeria can leverage foreign models for rapid industrialisation. That zone already guarantees 24-hour electricity, world-class infrastructure, and seamless business operations—proof that such concepts work, he said.

    We are also preparing for a trade mission to Italy in the coming weeks, continuing our commitment to connect Nigeria with global opportunities, he added.

    On Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), the Nigerian Chapter boss said: “I cannot overstate their importance. Nigeria cannot achieve large-scale development with government resources alone. Infrastructure projects like the proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge demonstrate how PPP can bridge funding gaps, with investors recouping through long-term tolling while government focuses on other priorities” adding PPP remains the most viable path to sustainable growth, especially in real estate, housing, and infrastructure.

  • Why Nigeria should renew 1994 bilateral deal with Taiwan, by envoy

    Why Nigeria should renew 1994 bilateral deal with Taiwan, by envoy

    The Representative and Chief of Taiwan Mission in Nigeria, Andy Liu, has explained why the President Bola Tinubu administration should consent to renewal of the 1994 bilateral Agreement for Investment Protection and Promotion (IPPA) between both countries.

    According to Liu, the renewal and signing of the IPPA would encourage Taiwanese investors interested in visiting and investing in Nigeria to come in. The renewal would also enable Nigerian investors to invest in Taiwan, knowing that their investment will be protected.

    Liu, who spoke at a press conference in Lagos, said both countries share the same belief in upholding democracy and development as fundamental principles.

    He said: “Taiwan welcomes the Nigerian Federal Government’s approach to renew the 1994 bilateral Agreement for Investment Protection and Promotion (IPPA) and we are ready to sign for renewal, together with our counterpart Nigerian Trade Commission in Taiwan. This renewal signing will greatly encourage Taiwanese investors interested in visiting and investing in Nigeria.

    “Taiwan welcomes the re-activating of Bilateral Consultations of our two governments, and would like to propose consultations being hosted at Permanent Secretary level / decision-making officials. The Australian Government has practiced this consultation for at least two decades.

    “Taiwan can be more than a valuable partner for both Nigeria and Africa, because Taiwan plays a significant role in global economy, democracy, science & technology, social development, and serves as a true model of non-oil economy. We, therefore, urge the Nigerian Federal or State Governments to take up the world trend of collaborating with Taiwan to upgrade and deepen our bi-lateral relations in the near future.”

    On the President’s dream of making South-East the Taiwan of Africa Taiwan and Renewed Hope Agenda for economic revitalisation, the envoy said: “President Tinubu openly declared during the election campaign November 2022 that he would promote the South-East of Nigeria to become the Taiwan of Africa. We have never been so proud, and we’re ready to offer assistance to fulfill the great Renewed Hope Agenda.”

    Liu asserted that a partnership between Nigeria and Taiwan could bring immense benefits, considering Nigeria’s rich natural resources and Taiwan’s technological and digital innovation expertise.

    He noted that such cooperation could drive development in key sectors such as agriculture, mining, and energy.

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    “We have never felt prouder. Taiwan stands ready to support the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

    “Taiwan and Nigeria are both members of the World Trade Organisation and share the values of free trade and economic cooperation. We are eager to work together to strengthen ties in sectors like mining, agriculture, and energy development. Taiwan is willing to offer technological expertise to help harness Nigeria’s abundant resources in a mutually beneficial partnership,” Liu said.

    The diplomat reaffirmed the country’s commitment to peace and prosperity despite China’s recent move to ramp up naval surveillance around Taiwan with highly sophisticated warships, jet fighters and drone carriers.

    According to him, Taiwan wants peace and prosperity, not war, urging both countries to address the development.

    Appealing to for international support, Liu said, “Our major appeal to the world focuses on two things: we Taiwanese want a peaceful and prosperous way of life. We are surprised by China’s constant bullying.

    “The Chinese military threats around Taiwan have been ongoing for many years. The recent escalation in April, with their naval fleet, has shocked the world and made everyone nervous.

    “Taiwan is uncomfortable with this, as it is an island separate from China. We’ve maintained our separation for over half a century.

    “I don’t think China wants war, but these threatening gestures are alarming. We take the Russian invasion of Ukraine seriously, which is why we’ve built our military strength.”

    Liu asserted that Taiwan is not part of China, as stated in United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758, passed in 1971.

    “Now, China is using that old document to claim Taiwan is part of China, which is unacceptable. We want the Nigerian people and the international community to understand this,” he said.

  • Distractions of Taiwan in Nigeria-China relations: Way forward

    Distractions of Taiwan in Nigeria-China relations: Way forward

    • By Charles Onunaiju

    The successful state visit to China and subsequent participation at the Summit of the Head of States and Governments of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September last year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China to historical new heights. The joint statement of the two sides which pledged to establish “a comprehensive strategic partnership and build a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future” outlined among several areas of cooperation and collaboration, a mutual commitment “to support each other on issues related to their respective core interests and concerns, particularly sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

    While “the Chinese side supports the Renewed Hope Agenda and efforts made by Nigeria in maintaining National Unity, Peace, Security and Social Stability”, the Nigerian side “firmly adhere to the One-China principle, acknowledges that there is but One China in the world and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”.

    To underline the success of the state visit and its productive outcomes, President Tinubu on return to Nigeria appointed a global liaison and a director of Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership to follow-up on the outcomes and he would be directly responsible to the Office of the President.

    The Taiwan question is a matter of China’s internal affairs and a leftover of her history. It arose specifically in China’s history when the island was seized following the Sino-Japanese war from 1894-1895 during which the weak Chinese Qing dynasty was forced to cede it to Japan. However, in the Cairo declaration of December 1, 1943, the Heads of Government of China, the United States, and Britain stated solemnly that “All the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese such as Manchuria, Formosa (Taiwan), the Pescadores shall be restored to the Republic of China”. And on July 25, 1945, the Potsdam proclamation defining the terms of Japanese surrender affirmed that “the terms of the Cairo declaration shall be fully carried out”.

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    On October 25, 1945, commander of the Japanese 10th Area Forces and Japanese governor of Taiwan, Kikichi Ando surrendered to China and Taiwan and Penghu Islands resumed their original status as integral part of the Chinese territory.

    Following the civil war, the Nationalist Party (KMT) which lost, fled to Taiwan after the liberation of the mainland.  Taiwan became estranged from the central government in Beijing because of foreign interference until the decisive and unequivocal resolution of the United Nations 2758 on October 25, 1971 which recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as “the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations”, with the world body “expelling forthwith, the representatives of Chiang Kai-Shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all organizations related to it”. The resolution was passed with an overwhelming majority of 76 votes to 35 with 17 abstentions”.

    Nigeria was among the 26 African countries that voted for the resolution. The representative of the U.S to United Nations, whose government and her Western allies have been the main protector of the KMT clique acknowledged that “no one could escape the fact that the votes which have just been cast do in fact, represent the views of the majority of the UN members” and since then, this historic resolution has been mainstreamed into the core of the contemporary international diplomatic practice.

    Nigeria, since establishment of diplomatic relations with China on February 10, 1971, has not equivocated on her “One-China policy”. In the 1990’s, when Nigeria under the military launched economic diplomacy, it recognized that the so-called Asian Tigers – China’s Hong Kong, China’s Taiwan, Singapore and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) would make inputs to its reset to economic diplomacy. On that account, Nigeria through the Ministry of Commerce signed MOU on trade cooperation with the Taiwan region which specified among other things that each side shall set up a trade office and appoint a trade representative.

    The Taiwan side is known to have abused the provisions of the trade agreement, openly engaging in activities that are both political and diplomatic, clearly in contravention with their status as a trade office. In 2017, Nigeria took a decisive step to reaffirm the credibility and integrity of her “One China policy” by relocating Taipei Trade Office to Nigeria’s foremost commercial capital – Lagos, to reflect the original intention of Nigeria for a strict trade and commercial ties with the Taiwan region of China.

    Recently, the Taiwan Trade Representative, Andy Yih-Ping Liu has been making strenuous efforts to undermine Nigeria’s “One China policy” by calling for a relocation of the “Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria” to Abuja and has engaged in provocative statements in the media. For being diligent in maintaining the integrity of one of her core foreign policy outline of “One China”, the Trade Representative of the Taipei Trade Office, makes unsubstantiated claims that Abuja takes instructions from Beijing.

    Actually, the circumstances of Nigeria’s economic outreach to the Taiwan region no longer exist. Trade with the mainland China last year was over $20 billion, while it was a paltry $500 million with the Taiwan region. There is no more economic logic, including trade and other commercial reasons to justify the maintenance of the “Taipei Trade Office”, in Nigeria, because it would only be a source of irritation and distraction to the “comprehensive strategic relation” between Nigeria and China.

    Beijing has enormous capability to resolve her national questions as it has done successfully with the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, with the creative formula of “One Country: Two Systems”, an acknowledgment that due to historical reasons, these regions have developed separately and evolved different systems and economic models from the mainland.

    One of such efforts by Beijing to solve her national questions was the famous 1992 Consensus which states that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are “One China”. Under the circumstances in which one of Nigeria’s foremost international partner is the People’s Republic of China, a fact that enjoys consensus across various strata of Nigeria’s society, and in order not to endanger or subject it to stress or even ridicule, it has become imperative to shut down the Taipei Trade Office and summarily expel its trade representative.

    At this point of implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation for which the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi paid visit to Abuja last month where both sides devised roadmap for the fruitful implementations of the outcomes, the distractions of the Taipei Trade Office cannot be cannot be conducive to Nigeria’s national interest, including her economic recovery plan.

    The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai and his team have remained focused on the implementation of the FOCAC and President Tinubu state visit outcomes and should not have cause to be distracted from contributing to the efforts to “build China-Nigeria relations into a community of shared future”.

    •Onunaiju writes from Abuja.

  • U.S. drops website’s wording on not backing Taiwan’s independence

    U.S. drops website’s wording on not backing Taiwan’s independence

    The United States State Department has removed a statement on its website that it does not support Taiwan independence, among changes that the island’s government praised yesterday as supporting Taiwan.

    The fact sheet, opens new tab on Taiwan retains Washington’s opposition to unilateral change from either Taiwan or from China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own, Reuters reported.

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    But as well as dropping the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence”, the page has added a reference to Taiwan’s cooperation with a Pentagon technology and semiconductor development project and says the US will support Taiwan’s membership in international organisations “where applicable”.

    The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer, bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.