•The Taiwan Representative in Nigeria and Chief of Mission, Taipei Trade Office, Nigeria, Andy Yih-Ping Liu.
By VIIVIAN DANIEL
When you hear the word “bilateral relationship” what comes to mind first and foremost? You will naturally think about the relationships that exist between countries and how they contribute to each other’s progress or development.
Now, Taiwan also known as the Republic of China, got separated from the People’s Republic of China in 1949 after the Chinese Civil War with its Capital as Taipei City. It has a population of 23.5 million as of June 2021 with over 95 per cent of its ethnicity originating from Han people including Holo, Hakka, and other groups that also originated in China. This is in addition to 2 per cent Indigenous Malayo-Polynesian people and another 2 per cent new immigrants, primarily from China. Taiwan became a full-fledged democratic government in 2000 with no bloodshed or military coup. They have warm hospitality, great food and gorgeous scenery to start any adventure where outdoor activities are spiced up with dynamic urban and traditional culture for a rich mosaic of enjoyment.
The country’s President Ching-Tie Lai, born in 1959 in New Taipei City’s Wanli District, has a humble background as the son of a coal miner. He had his upbringing and medical training in empirical logic and this has informed his pragmatic approach to governance and international cooperation, thus facilitating Taiwan’s numerous global collaborations and accomplishments.
It should be recalled that both Nigeria and Taiwan are committed members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) sharing commitment to free trade principles. This mutual dedication underpins Taiwan’s efforts to collaborate on several key fronts including economic growth, investment opportunities, cultural exchange, education, other medical advancements, mining, and energy sector development given the world’s campaigns for the renewable energy transition.
Similarly, leveraging campaign promise of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu to transform South-East Nigeria into the “Taiwan of Africa,” the Taipei Trade Office aims to enhance Nigeria-Taiwan relations through robust cooperation across various sectors to see these promises come to fruition. Also, to significantly improve regions like South-East Nigeria thereby advancing the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in areas such as trade, human capital development, health, technology, infrastructure and more.
Worthy of note is that then Nigeria’s Military President Ibrahim Babangida had initiated a scheme which led to Taiwan setting up its Mission in Nigeria with full diplomatic privileges as members of the Diplomatic Corps as well as the two countries signing their first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 1990.
It should be remembered that the Taiwanese Mission was set up originally in Lagos in Nigeria in 1991 and was moved over to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory in 2000 until it was asked in 2017 by the former Muhammadu Buhari administration to relocate back to Lagos, a move that may have been frustrating to the Taipei Office, to say the least.
In 1994 Taiwan and Nigeria had signed another investors agreement – the most important trust-building agreement that any government would sign with another country. Despite the relocation of the Taiwanese Mission from Abuja in 2017 ‘renewed’ efforts should be made to strengthen these diplomatic ties while keeping abreast of the “Benefits of Building Trust with Taiwan and Nurturing Its Bilateral Relations in Nigeria.”
Speaking with the Taiwan Representative in Nigeria and Chief of Mission, Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria, Andy Yih-Ping Liu, he revealed that their Office since they moving back to Lagos employed all kinds of approaches to the government of Nigeria alongside writing to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment to rebuild their relationships along the line of mutual trust and respect for each other.
What is really happening between the two countries – Taiwan and Nigeria? Does the “One-China Policy” have anything negative to do with Nigeria not being able to harness all the opportunities it is meant to gain from maintaining its robust relations with Taiwan and any other country it deems fit?
Do you or do you not think Nigeria can put aside whatever may be playing out at the ‘back screen’ or perhaps the ‘internal confrontations’ to embrace Taiwan to benefit from them the most? Because, in the last 34 years, according to some investigation, previous Nigerian leaders or government officials (over 200 of them) who once visited Taiwan to have their training done stopped visiting the country and the current ones have also not done any visits yet. Also, recall that when the Government of Taiwan offered some other training programmes even before COVID-19, it was turned down.
Recent Global Recognitions of Taiwan’s Development Efforts: Why Should Nigeria be Left Behind?
Interestingly, Taiwan, a successful model of non-oil economy and trade, has garnered robust support and recognition from several influential nations worldwide, including the U.S.A, the UK, Canada, France, and India. Each of these countries maintains a “One-China Policy” but continues to engage in significant collaborations with Taiwan.
- •The United Kingdom: On November 8, 2023, the British and Taiwanese governments signed a landmark trade and investment pact, the ‘Enhanced Trade Partnership,’ covering digital economy, renewable energy, and investment promotion. This agreement positions the U.K. as the leading European nation collaborating comprehensively with Taiwan.
- •Canada: On December 22, 2023, the Canadian and Taiwanese governments formalised a bilateral investment deal, enhancing Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen business ties with like-minded democratic partners.
- •France: On November 29, 2023, the French and Taiwanese governments penned down a bilateral ‘Science and Technology Cooperation Convention (STC)’. This convention focuses on key areas such as semiconductors, healthcare, marine technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, green industries, energy and net-zero, and space technology, thereby elevating scientific research cooperation to unprecedented levels.
- •India: On December 8, 2023, the Indian and Taiwanese governments equally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on scientific research cooperation. This agreement aims to deepen their collaboration in green energy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotechnology, nano-electronics, and space technology.
Reflecting on these international partnerships, other nations, including Nigeria must foster a rewarding partnership. The Nigerian government has to come up with a masterplan and policy guideline for what it desires to do with Taiwan relations so that other States can leverage the same to kick-start their numerous developmental projects along with the following expected gains as highlighted below.
Education and Health Sector Partnerships:
Taiwan has invested heavily in its education sector in the last four decades with a 98 per cent literacy and 2 per cent illiteracy while building generations of workforce with advanced technology development. Imagine them investing in Nigeria’s education system to help revamp it to become globally acceptable and competitive!
The government of Taiwan recognises the place of having a robust health system and has its national public health insurance covering almost 95 per cent of its population. It provided Nigeria with over half a million face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic to the Ministry of Health and other hospitals. Some ministries participated in training after the COVID-19 era. Some private medical practitioners have also benefited from Taiwan recently.
Gender Equality and Empowerment:
Taiwan has no gender empowerment and equality issues as their last president was a woman who served for eight years in office and 42 per cent of its member parliament is made up of women. Their current Vice President, Ms Bi-Khim Hsiao, previously served as the influential Ambassador of Taiwan to the U.S.A; Senior Advisor to President Dr Ing-Wen Tsai at Taiwan’s National Security Council; four terms in Taiwan’s legislature representing overseas in her first term and later the constituents of Taipei Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and Chair of the USA Caucus in the Legislative Yuan, to mention but a few. Nigeria can learn and take a cue from Taiwan’s remarkable gender equality approaches.
Youth Empowerment and Human Capital Development:
Taiwan has decades of human resources investment and brain power and has equally invested in its human capital development. With about 200 million of Nigeria’s population, and 50 per cent of which are youths who ought to be properly developed, what other ways to go about this than to leverage Taiwan’s experience to provide the ideal educational transformation that will rub off on our youths?
Empowerment in Small Businesses and Vocational Training:
It is important to note that Taiwan can provide Nigeria with a lot of industrial development experience which will benefit the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. As of 2021 alone, Taiwan’s trade investment with Nigeria stands at $1 billion. Again, creating a policy environment that nurtures small businesses and expands access to market-driven vocational and technical training is vital. These initiatives will be closely linked to private-sector employment opportunities while ensuring practical and actionable outcomes.
The Nigerian government will be thrilled to know that Taiwan has continued to support individuals from Nigeria who go there for one vocational training or another to the extent that they have active Alumni.
Collaborative Efforts in Trade and Regulatory Reform within the Nigerian Government:
Taiwan will support Customs regulation and policy reforms to facilitate both internal and external trade. Encouraging the use of the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) incentives for trade with the USA will be a priority. Furthermore, it will work on building private-sector capacity to meet international trade and export standards.
Its partnership with the Nigerian government will also be crucial in implementing activities that promote increased trade which include assisting the Nigeria Customs Service with its reforms and modernisation thereby reducing congestion at the Lagos seaport, and improving transportation and infrastructure.
Strategic Collaborations for Economic Development:
To support the Nigerian government’s poverty alleviation efforts, Taiwan says it will focus on improving agricultural productivity and expanding job opportunities in rural areas. “We will also work towards enhancing market access, increasing the nation’s energy supply, reducing trade barriers, and expanding access to clean water,” it said in a document seen by Sundiata Post.
In conclusion, Nigeria has to show its seriousness and goodwill from the current administration. For instance, there has to be a political will in President Tinubu’s administration to decide to have Taiwan’s Mission back to Abuja or have its Extension fully set up. Remember that President Tinubu did not mention any other country but Taiwan, hence, Nigeria being an independent sovereign State, should not allow any external influence to determine its bilateral relations with any other country it chooses – whether the countries are major players or not.
Undoubtedly, billions of dollars in projects may benefit some people but for the sake of development that would benefit the general public, Nigeria should know better and show the power of love that exists between countries. Questions like what moves Nigeria is making to collaborate with Taiwan should linger in our hearts. Likewise, take note of this metaphor – “If Nigeria has a river where anyone or countries can come to catch some fish, Taiwan is surely not ready to catch our fishes and sell them back to us. Instead, they are ready to sell to us some nets, fish ponds, and other equipment necessary to allow us to catch our fish and they would buy them from us at a fair market price.”
We need more legitimate trade to be carried out in Nigeria. We should maintain the posture of a fair, free-trading economy. And, as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Madam Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been quoted to regard Taiwan as one of the top 20 trading nations in the world, Nigeria should have a business-friendly atmosphere for Taiwan to invest in our country, especially, as other top industries and investors have left Nigerian shores already.
The time for the Nigerian government to act in strengthening its bilateral relations with Taiwan which has continuously shown a posture of goodwill and support all this while (although on a low profile) is now, putting in mind the underlined significance and more. The Nigerian government should make the most important decision to partner with Taiwan. Time they say waits for no one.
•Vivian Daniel is a media consultant and practitioner with over a decade of experience, corporate compere, moderator and voice-over artiste and writes Abuja. Email: vivianchikadaniel@gmail.com
