Taiwan is protesting the deportation of a group of its citizens to China from Kenya after fraud charges against them were dropped.
The island's official Central News Agency said today that the Cabinet agency responsible for contacts with China had lodged a strong complaint with its Chinese counterpart and demanded that eight Taiwanese who arrived in Beijing yesterday be sent home.
Taiwanese authorities said the deportations violated a tacit agreement between the sides not to interfere in the affairs of their citizens while abroad.
China considers Taiwan Chinese territory and claims only it can represent the island in international society, although it has softened its stance in recent years in order to avoid further alienating residents of the self-governing island.
Reports said Kenya was sending additional Taiwanese to China.
