Taiwan warns against Uganda travel as passport disputes grow

Taiwan has advised its citizens to defer travel to Uganda due to escalating passport disputes, marking another instance of pressure on the island's international standing in Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that on August 12, Ugandan immigration officers seized the passports of three Taiwanese business travelers and their family members upon arrival at Entebbe airport, demanding they use Chinese passports instead.

Although the Taiwanese documents were eventually returned and the travelers permitted entry, this was the second such incident involving Taiwanese nationals. In a previous case, one traveler was deported. Ugandan officials stated their actions were in accordance with the country's "one-China policy," according to Taiwan's ministry.

Taipei's representative office in Somaliland, which handles relations with Uganda, is seeking clarification from Ugandan authorities. The Taiwanese ministry urged Uganda to acknowledge that "Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other" and to cease imposing "inappropriate entry restrictions for political reasons that could undermine normal bilateral exchanges and interests."

This dispute follows similar recent tensions in Africa. In late July, Taiwan suspended visa processing for Moroccan nationals after Morocco implemented comparable restrictions. Previously, Taipei threatened retaliation after Kenya barred Taiwanese delegates from a global maritime conference and detained a Taiwanese academic for 20 hours in June. With only 12 official diplomatic allies worldwide, Taiwan faces increasing isolation efforts from Beijing, particularly in Africa, which has become a key arena for China's campaign to diminish Taipei's global presence.

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Uganda should recognise the reality that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other and refrain from imposing inappropriate entry restrictions for political reasons that could undermine normal bilateral exchanges and interests