Govt asks Taiwan to move office out of Abuja
From Madu Onuorah, Abuja
AS Nigeria and China yesterday entered into fresh agreements on economic and technological co-operation, President Olusegun Obasanjo has ordered the closure of the Taiwanese commercial office in Abuja. The office, the President added, could relocate to Lagos State.
The agreements cover technological transfer and investment in the electronic and agro-allied sectors in the country. They are particularly on co-operation in the oil and gas sector, telecommunications and railway development in Nigeria.
They were signed at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a courtesy call on President Obasanjo by the chairman of the Peoples Assembly of China (Parliament) Mr. Wu Bangguo, as part of his three-day visit to Nigeria.
Before signing the agreements, Obasanjo restated that Nigeria supports the one-China policy, saying that this entails the directive to close the Taiwanese commercial office in Abuja.
The Nigerian leader also announced that a Chinese firm would build, launch and service the nation's second communication satellite, Satellite 11, which is to be launched next year.
He acknowledged a grant of $2.25 million from the Chinese government meant for economic and technological development in the country.
On the discussion between the two leaders before the signing ceremony, President Obasanjo said it focused on investments in the downstream and upstream sectors of the oil industry and the production of electronics and its spare parts within Nigeria.
He said: "We agreed that you (the Chinese) will build refinery, lay pipelines and embark on oil exploration in the Lake Chad region. And you will do a lot in the downstream areas. We also agreed that since China produces 40 per cent of all television sets in the world, that there will be a plant in Nigeria. We will give all the inducement and encouragement we can give."
Wu, who spoke through an interpreter, acknowledged Nigeria's support for the one-China policy, saying that it had led to co-operation between the two countries on international issues.
The agreements include that of Economic and Technological Co-operation, signed by the Chinese Vice Minister, Wei Jianguo and Nigeria's Minister of Integration and Co-operation in Africa, Ambassador Lawal Guba Gana.
The oil co-operation contract for OML 64 and 66 was signed by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Funso Kupolokun.
Kupolokun and Gana also similarly signed a goodwill message by both countries on the oil contract while a director in the Chinese communication ministry and Mrs. Yafang Sun, chairwoman of the board of Iluawei Technologies Company Limited, signed for China.
Mrs. Sun later said that her company was pioneering the establishment of first electronic production company in Nigeria.
After decades of Chinese civil war, the losing nationalist withdrew to the Island province of Taiwan in 1949 as the communists took over Beijing.
Taiwan's leaders have abandoned dreams of unification with the mainland. But Beijing still regards the island as a renegade province and holds onto the "one-China policy."
The Daily Times of Pakistan yesterday reported China's anger over an apparent friendly gesture by United States Secretary of State Colin Powell during a visit last Tuesday to Panama: Powell shook hands with Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian.
U.S. officials said the handshake was during a "chance encounter" and that the meeting was not official.
But China is highly sensitive to any U.S. favour towards Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province to be reunited by force if necessary.
China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Zhang Qlyne, said: "China is firmly opposed to any form of official contact between the United States and Taiwan."
