Post by : Shakul

Taiwan has accused Kenya of violating the rights of its citizens after several Taiwanese scholars attending an international oceans conference were reportedly detained and deported from the East African nation. The incident has sparked a fresh diplomatic dispute involving Kenya, Taiwan and China.

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegates were traveling to Mombasa to participate in a global ocean academic conference when Kenyan authorities allegedly confiscated their passports and mobile phones. Officials in Taipei claimed the scholars were held for more than 20 hours before being deported.

Taiwan strongly condemned the treatment of its nationals and accused China of pressuring Kenyan authorities to prevent Taiwanese representatives from attending the event. The foreign ministry described the actions as violations of human rights and international norms, calling for greater respect for academic and personal freedoms.

Kenya, however, defended its decision and reiterated its long-standing support for the One China policy. Foreign Ministry Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei stated that individuals traveling on Taiwanese passports would not ordinarily be allowed entry under Kenya’s diplomatic framework, which officially recognizes Beijing as the sole government of China.

The controversy unfolded during the annual global oceans conference being hosted in Mombasa. The event has attracted hundreds of delegates from Africa, Europe, the United States, Caribbean nations and Pacific island states to discuss issues such as climate change, marine biodiversity and ocean conservation.

Organisers have highlighted the conference as an important opportunity for Africa to strengthen its role in global ocean governance. However, the diplomatic disagreement has drawn international attention away from some of the conference’s environmental objectives.

Relations between China and Taiwan have remained tense since their political split in 1949 following a civil war. Beijing continues to regard Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes any actions that could imply international recognition of the self-governed island.

#world news #Diplomacy #Global Diplomacy #Taiwan