Taiwan, a global economic force but politically sidelined

What would cause you to withhold your vote from someone who is friendly with you or has greatly benefited you? The answer may lie in the old 17th-century proverb: somebody somewhere and somehow is playing the bigger piper or, rather, influencing your decision.

This is perhaps the political conundrum Taiwan, with a population of 23 million people and a GDP of $900 billion (2025), has found itself in global politics. With its enormous contributions to the global economy and its unique place in technological development, Taiwan struggles to be recognised diplomatically in international circles.

Taiwan is a global economic force, as statistics show that it is among the top 20 economies and a critical technological hub.

At more than $37,830 per capita, the country is ranked as one of the highest per capita GDPs. It has a high comparative advantage in electronics, communication technology products, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel and pharmaceuticals.

Taiwan presently leads in artificial intelligence and semiconductors—producing over 60 percent of the world’s chips and 90 percent of its most advanced ones. Lin Chia-Lung, Taiwan’s minister of foreign affairs, told some Nigerian journalists in Taipei that this economic strength fuels global growth and makes Taiwan an indispensable partner for global development in various fields.

The country is also strong on international trade, yet Taiwan scores a small number of votes in international politics, as it is not a member of major world bodies such as the UN, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), WHO and UNGA – the main policy-making, deliberative and representative organ of the UN, where Taiwan is expected to play a major role as a technologically advanced country.

Only a few countries, including Eswatini, Saint Lucia, Paraguay, Haiti, and Guatemala, among others, recognise Taiwan and deal with it on diplomatic levels, but many countries, including Nigeria and South Africa, do not officially recognise Taiwan diplomatically but only see the country as a trading partner without a diplomatic relationship.

Taiwan is a country that operates independently as a country like any other sovereign nation with its own government, military, currency, and elections. But the country is politically sidelined in international cycles due to what experts describe as pressure from China that introduced the ‘One China policy’. The strong economic position of Taiwan and its non-recognition by some world bodies and many countries on diplomatic levels seek more answers.

Recently, due to the influence of an external force, the Taiwanese president was denied the airspace right to fly over some countries in his planned visit to Africa.

It seems more to analysts that beneath the non-recognition of Taiwan by some countries is something informed primarily by economic dictates. China, which is promoting the one-China policy, appears as a big brother and, with deeper pockets, massively supports other countries in infrastructure development and loans for projects. The countries believe that aligning with a “global power that wields significant influence in international institutions” is comforting and beneficial.

Lin Chia-Lung said Taiwan is also a key player and an indispensable partner in the Indo-Pacific region, working toward global peace, stability, and prosperity. It stands on the front line of the Indo-Pacific’s first island chain, defending democracy and freedom from authoritarian expansionism. Taiwan also contributes significantly to stability and prosperity through its robust economy and semiconductor ecosystem.

“Regrettably, despite Taiwan’s significant global contributions, it remains largely unrecognised by the international community, and it is unable to participate in the United Nations system.” The foreign minister linked Taiwan’s unwarranted exclusion from international bodies to China’s deliberate misrepresentation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. “The resolution is falsely linked with the so-called ‘one China principle’ and continues to be wrongfully weaponised to block Taiwan’s participation.”

However, UNGA Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan at all—it merely addresses China’s representation in the United Nations. The resolution does not state that Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), nor does it grant the PRC the right to represent Taiwan in the UN system. Nevertheless, the United Nations has yielded to China’s political pressure, using the resolution as a pretext to exclude Taiwan from the international community, Chia-Lung says.

Lin Chia-Lung said that Taiwan does not have an issue with the one-China policy but insists that Taiwan is not part of China. Though Nigeria believes in the one-China policy, Andy Yih-Ping Liu, Head of Taiwan’s Trade Mission in Nigeria, also insists that Taiwan is not part of China. He still relied on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758, passed in 1971, that Taiwan is not part of China.

According to him, China wants to convince the world that Taiwan is part of China, but this is false, insisting that the 1971 resolution recognised China’s PRC as the sole representative at the UN.

Taiwan is campaigning to correct what it calls a misinterpretation of UNGA Resolution 2758. It wants to stop what it calls its bullying.

Way forward. The United Nations should step in again in the conflict between China and Taiwan to clearly define and interpret the UNGA Resolution 2758. Taiwan is self-governed and operates independently.

Though this conflict may not possibly be resolved in the short term, as the issue is rooted in history and politics, Taiwan, involving the international community, can begin to initiate direct talks and negotiations with China for a long-term diplomatic resolution of this 52-year-old conflict. China is still the biggest trading partner of Taiwan. This negotiation can involve compromises. Resolution of this issue has become rife to avoid escalation as the two countries are growing in numbers, both in population, economy and military.

Similar to Taiwan, some other countries have emerged from their former nations. They include Namibia from South Africa in 1990; South Sudan from Sudan in 2011; Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971; and the Czech Republic and Slovakia from Czechoslovakia, which was a split method in 1983. Panama also emerged from Colombia. There are other struggles and attempts for the emergence of some other countries in some regions.

The world that is grappling with so many challenges needs Taiwan, which has grown exponentially in technology. The world is better together. Recognising Taiwan with its economic and technological might in international cycles will enhance world economic progress, security and technological advancement.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Wu Chih-chung Francois emphasised to the journalists that “Taiwan wants to work with the world; we want to work with Africa.” He said while Taiwan is promoting external cooperation, “we also highlight the rights that Taiwan needs to participate in international systems and institutions, as Taiwan has a lot of things to share and contribute.”

DANIEL OBI: Editor, Marketing and Brands, BusinessDay Media.