Why African states keep backing Beijing over Taiwan
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te in Taipei on June 18, 2026. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Kenya of bowing to pressure from Beijing, after Nairobi deported its citizen to adhere to the one‑China policy.
Kenya’s deportation of a Taiwanese environmental scientist has highlighted a broader reality across Africa: governments increasingly see adherence to the One China policy as aligned with their economic and diplomatic interests.
On June 15, Kenya deported the official after authorities said he had arrived for an oceans conference using a passport that Nairobi does not recognise for diplomatic travel.
