COORDINATED EFFORT:Chinese embassy staff in Abuja monitored the operation to seal the nation’s representative office while senior officials were out of town
Taipei Times
Date: Jul 07, 2017
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter
Nigeria has allowed itself to be used as China’s “hired thug,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Chen Chun-shen speaks in his office in Taipei yesterday, blaming the sending of armed guards to seal off the nation’s representative office in Nigeria on Friday last week to pressure from Beijing. Photo: CNA
yesterday, blasting China’s “sick mentality” toward Taiwanese diplomacy and adding that the battle for Taiwan’s representative office in the African nation has been lost.
“On the surface, we have been facing off against Nigeria, but in reality we are facing off against violent and savage China, which does not care about the niceties of international law,” Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Chen Chun-shen (陳俊賢) said, attributing the sending of armed guards to seal off the nation’s representative office in Abuja on Friday last week to pressure from Beijing.
“Our staff and Nigerian friends have reported that, for some unknown reason, China suddenly exerted a ‘mountain-toppling’ amount of pressure on June 30,” he said, adding that Chinese embassy personnel monitored the operation to seal the office and expel staff.
“The incident was pure political harassment, as Taiwan’s representative had already departed the country and the remaining counselor was in Lagos looking at potential offices with a colleague,” he added. [FULL STORY]
