Saudi Arabia–Taiwan relations

After World War II, the Republic of China (Taiwan) maintained diplomatic relations with only a few Middle Eastern countries, one of which was Saudi Arabia.

The Hui Muslim General Ma Bufang was appointed as the first Republic of China ambassador to Saudi Arabia. This was for two reasons. The first reason was largely out of economic necessity, as Saudi Arabia was the largest supplier of oil to Taiwan, with Taiwan's state-run Chinese Petroleum Company, importing about 40% of its oil annually from Saudi Arabia.[1]

As Taiwan was so reliant on Saudi Arabia's oil supplies, Taiwan put a significant amount of effort into maintaining relations. The second reason for the friendliness of Taiwan's Nationalist government towards Saudi Arabia was because since 1949, Saudi Arabia was one of the most influential countries to recognize Taiwan as the Republic of China, even after it lost its seat on the UN Security Council in 1971. Citing respect for Islamic religion was another.[2]

Saudi Arabia ended its recognition of Taiwan in July 1990, when it established official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.[3]

ROCAF F-5F similar to those flown over Yemen

From 1979 to 1990, the Republic of China Armed Forces engaged in a classified military aid program in the Yemen Arab Republic known as the Peace Bell Program or the Great Desert Program (大漠計畫) at the behest of Saudi Arabia. The Taiwanese piloted Yemeni F-5s and manned air defense batteries against a South Yemeni force composed of Cuban and Soviet personnel. The program ended in 1990 when Saudi Arabia withdrew its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan.[4] The ROCAF force were actively involved in combat with the Cubans/Soviets[5] and for all intents and purposes constitutes the Yemen Arab Republic's Air Force during this time. Taiwanese pilots scored a number of kills and the air-defense and early warning radar teams took casualties from aerial attacks.[6]

Commercial relations between Taiwan and Saudi Arabia began around 1965 and were initially based on an agricultural relationship. As a way to demonstrate rice cultivation, Taiwan sent agricultural missions to Saudi Arabia. Then, in 1973, the two countries signed an agricultural cooperation agreement, in which Taiwan provided Saudi Arabia with a number of assistance programs, including irrigation, mechanized cultivation, soil, meteorology, crop rotation, and fishing technology. In 1978, Taiwan also began providing technical assistance in the field of health care. Taiwan has even provided Saudi Arabia with a number of doctors and nurses.[1]

Taiwan also provided significant technical assistance to Saudi Arabia. In 1973, Taiwan's largest heavy construction company, Ret-Ser Engineering Agency (RSEA), began working on the 110-kilometer Mecca to Hawiya highway in Saudi Arabia.[7] This led to other large projects like the Shaar highway.[8] Other projects included the construction of an industrial park and sewage system, offshore and onshore work in the Saudi Naval Expansion Program, and housing for the King Abd al-Aziz Military Academy and King Khalid Military City. As of 1984, RSEA's projects in Taiwan amounted to a total dollar value of $1.3 billion. The majority of trade between the two nations consisted of petroleum from Saudi Arabia and building materials and consumer goods from Taiwan.[2]

In 2020, Taiwan signed a double taxation avoidance agreement with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia became the first Arab nation to have such an agreement with Taiwan and took effect on January 1, 2021.[9]

Saudi Arabia is represented in Taipei by a representative office known as the Saudi Arabian Trade Office in Taipei.[10] Similarly, Taiwan maintains a Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.[11] On 27 July 2017, Taiwan suspended its representative office in Jeddah and the task of the office was given to the Riyadh office.[12]

• Foreign relations of Taiwan
• Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia