Delegates representing Taiwan were detained for over 20 hours in Mombasa, Kenya, and subsequently denied access to the international Our Ocean Conference, a move Taiwan's foreign minister attributed to escalating imperialist pressure from Beijing on nations under its economic sway.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, saw two Taiwanese delegates have their passports and mobile phones confiscated before being allowed to leave the country. The rest of the Taiwanese delegation withdrew from the conference in protest.
The State as Enforcer
Kenya's Foreign Ministry Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei defended the nation's actions, stating that Kenya’s foreign policy 'recognizes only one China.' This position directly aligns the Kenyan state apparatus with Beijing's territorial claims over Taiwan, which has been governed separately for 77 years since 1949. Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-Lung, condemned Kenya for its 'unilateral distortion and unwarranted expansion of their so-called ‘One China’ interpretation.' Lin asserted, 'Kenya’s obstruction of our delegates from attending the meeting is absolutely wrong, and we strongly condemn and protest against it.'
Economic Sway and Diplomatic Control
Lin further detailed how China has intensified its efforts to limit Taiwan’s representation in international bodies, particularly targeting developing and emerging economies that fall under Beijing’s significant economic sway. 'Some Global South countries are manipulated by the Chinese government in every way,' Lin stated, exposing the mechanics of how economic power translates into diplomatic control. This diplomatic pressure is not new; China has historically sought to exclude Taiwan from organizations like the World Health Organization and its governing body, the World Health Assembly. Even at the Olympic Games, Taiwan is compelled to participate under the designation 'Chinese Taipei' due to Beijing’s consistent pressure.
China has consistently viewed Taiwan as its own territory since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power following a civil war, and has declared its willingness to use force if necessary to bring the island under its control. This long-standing territorial claim underpins the diplomatic maneuvers observed in Kenya, demonstrating the projection of state power to secure perceived national interests and maintain a specific global order.
Undermining Collective Action
The Our Ocean Conference, hosted by Kenya for the first time, aims to address critical global ocean issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and pollution. Hundreds of delegates from various nations, including climate-vulnerable Caribbean and Pacific island nations, are participating. Organizers had sought to position Africa as a driving force in global ocean governance. However, the incident highlights how the fundamental work of addressing collective crises, which disproportionately affect the global working class and dispossessed, is undermined by great power competition and the assertion of national capital interests. While Lin noted that 'Some democratic countries are trying to fight against it,' the incident in Kenya underscores the vulnerability of nations whose economic dependence makes them susceptible to the demands of larger powers, effectively silencing voices that might challenge the existing distribution of global power and resources.