Lagos — Federal Government has ordered Taiwan (Republic of China) to relocate its trade mission office from Abuja to Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the order was contained in a letter addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro and Minister of FCT, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo by Chief Ojo Maduekwe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in February.

The letter requested the two to ensure the immediate closure of Taiwan's trade office in Abuja.

The letter had described the presence of the Trade Office in Abuja as "a source of embarrassment" to the Nigerian government in view of its long standing 'One China Policy'.

"The office in Abuja is inconsistent with the earlier understanding of the mission being located in Lagos as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in November 1990," the letter stated.

NAN gathered that the IG and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicated government's directive to the Taiwanese Trade Mission Office by way of a warning letter.

Maduekwe, who spoke on the relocation saga in an interview with NAN yesterday, reaffirmed government's belief in the "One China Policy".

Responding to Taiwan's insistence on staying in Abuja, Maduekwe said Nigeria had the sovereign right to determine where any country should operate from."

According to the "One China Policy", Nigeria recognises Taiwan and Hong Kong as indivisible part of the Peoples' Democratic Republic of China (mainland China).

Nigeria also supports the eventual re-unification of Taiwan with mainland China through peaceful means.

NAN also gathered that a special Ministerial Committee was set up in January to look into the issue.

The committee had identified the MoU signed between Nigeria and Taiwan in 1990 as a potential obstacle to the promotion of closer relations with China.

"The articles of the MoU referred to Taiwan as the Republic of China, which created an erroneous impression that Nigeria recognised Taiwan as a sovereign state," according to the committee.

The MoU was signed by officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on behalf of the Nigerian Government.

The Committee also called for the establishment of a Nigerian Consulate in Guangdong Province in Southern China, to facilitate consular assistance to Nigerians in the area.

It said that the move would further boost economic activities between the two countries.

The committee noted that Guangdong was the most industrialised area of China with nearly 90 per cent of Nigerians resident in the province.

NAN investigations at the Consular Department of the Ministry also revealed that the Ministry may have stopped entering into official communications with the Taiwanese Trade Mission office in Abuja.

When NAN visited the office which is located at No. 33 Katsina Ala Street in Maitama on Monday, normal activities were going on. A Taiwanese official, who refused to disclose his name, told NAN, in response to persistent enquiries, to come back on Sept. 15, "when my boss will be ready to grant you an audience on the matter".

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Taiwan Africa Business Association, Mr Edem Chou, said recently that trade between Nigeria and Taiwan hit 472 million dollars between January

and May.