Kenya blocks Taiwanese scientists from ocean summit under Chinese pressure

Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council reported that participants faced significant intimidation, including the seizure of passports and mobile phones for over 20 hours before being denied entry. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung condemned the incident as a barbaric obstruction, accusing Kenya of unilaterally distorting diplomatic norms to align with Beijing’s sovereignty claims. The conference, intended to foster international cooperation on marine protection, instead became a theater for geopolitical friction.

Beijing’s foreign ministry publicly commended the Kenyan government for its actions, characterizing the exclusion as a defense of the One China principle. Neither Kenyan officials nor event organizers responded to inquiries regarding the incident. This exclusion underscores the persistent challenge Taiwan faces in participating in international scientific and environmental forums, as China works to prevent any recognition of the island as an independent actor on the global stage.