Taiwan urges Nigeria to resist external influence in choosing friends

Taiwan’s government has passionately urged Nigeria to resist any external influence when choosing its international friends, especially when the country is seeking for needed economic development.

… seeks closer ties with Nigeria

Taiwan believes that any country dictating to Nigeria on who should be its friends, may not provide to Nigeria all the assistance it needs for development, especially in this fast- paced world.

“Define who your friends are and don’t allow external interference to dictate or define them for you, Lin Chia-Lung, Minister of Taiwan Foreign Affairs told journalists recently in his office in Taipei, capital of Taiwan.

For instance, he said that Nigeria can work diplomatically with China and Taiwan and other countries at same time. “I urge you not to limit yourself. I also urge you not to be self-restraint because you have diplomatic relations with another country”, Chia-Lung said.

“We are not opposed to any good relationship between Nigeria and China, but it is very important not to let external influence decide what kind of friend you want to have”.

He said “even China is working with Taiwan. You therefore need to understand why China has the right to work with Taiwan and you don’t have the right”.

Recalling that in 2017, Nigeria re-located Taiwan’s representative office from Abuja to the commercial city of Lagos and re-branded the office as Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria and demanded the reduction of staff in what Taiwan believes was to uphold ‘One-China Policy’, Chia-Lung said Taiwan is not opposed to One China policy. But said Taiwan, a country of technology, AI , GDP of $900 billion and 19th top economy in the world with its own government can offer more to Nigeria.

The minister said Taiwan is present in many capital cities of different countries of the world. “We are in Washington. We are in Tokyo. We are in Paris. We are in Berlin. We are even also in the capital of Geneva, of Switzerland. He called on Nigeria to treat Taiwan like other countries and not to have a different treatment to Taiwan. “I hope we can stay and work with you in Abuja”, he said.

“If we can have some progress in our political relations, we can show more intention to invest in Nigeria”, Chia-Lung said believing that lack of formal relations is a hinderance to certain socio-economic moves.

He said Taiwan can offer more in terms of industrialization, technology and scholarships to Nigerian students in areas that will be relevant to Nigerian economic development.

The minister promised that Taiwan government is ready for formal bilateral relationship and also invest in Nigeria to advance the country’s industrial quest.

Comparing Nigeria and Taiwan, he commended Nigeria for its role in Africa and as biggest economy in the continent while Taiwan is known for its leadership in the manufacture of semiconductor, petrochemical, mechanized farming and healthcare. He believes that both countries can gain massively from each other.

“We hope that Nigeria will continue to foster an enabling environment for closer and more effective engagement with Taiwan, including facilitating the return of the Taiwan Representative Office to Abuja”.

He said Taiwan values its relationship with Nigeria and it is desirous of expanding relationship on mutual benefit and shared success. “We have taken note of Nigeria’s industrialization vision” and Taiwan can play major part in this process, he said.

The minister further said that Taiwan goal is not to promote replication of “Taiwan model”. But transfer Taiwan’s development experience—from an agriculture-based economy to a high-tech industrial economy.

In the same tone while also speaking to the journalists, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb Wu Chihchung Francois said “Taiwan wants to work with the world, we want to work with Africa”. He said Africa can emulate how the region of the world is working with Taiwan for its future.

He said while Taiwan is promoting external cooperation, “we also highlight the rights that Taiwan needs to participate in international systems and institutions as Taiwan has a lot of things to share and contribute.