TAIWAN has been an “integral part” of China for centuries. Taiwan is an “inalienable” part of China’s territory and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the “sole” and “legal” government representing the whole of China, reflecting the true essence of the One-China principle, which is a universally recognized basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing international consensus. Despite China’s legal rights, Western spoilers have been interfering in its internal affairs by spreading false and fake propaganda and making unwanted visits to Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced China’s countermeasures against a Paraguayan Minister, Gustavo Emigdio Villate Samaniego and a Belizean Minister, Francis Fonseca, due to their anti-Taiwan-related activities, demonstrating China’s national resilience, commitment to reunification and determination to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. She was absolutely right to describe their visits to China’s Taiwan region and their welcoming of Taiwan independence separatists as serious interference in China’s internal affairs. Consequently, China, in accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Countering Foreign Sanctions, announced countermeasures to punish them and warn others.
The countermeasures, which took effect on October 12, include freezing the two officials’ movable and immovable property and other assets within China; prohibiting organizations and individuals in China from conducting transactions, cooperation and other activities with them; and denying them visas and entry into China, including the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions. These measures vividly reflect Beijing’s peaceful resolve to protect its core interests. The decisions were made in accordance with Articles 3, 4, 6, 9 and 15 of the Law on Countering Foreign Sanctions. Hence, they are intended to safeguard China’s “sovereignty”, “security” and “development” interests and oppose “Taiwan independence” separatist activities.
Comparative studies of Chinese history and civilization reveal that the earliest record of Taiwan can be traced to Linhai Shuitu Zhi, written by Shen Ying during the Three Kingdoms period. From the Song and Yuan dynasties onwards, successive central governments of China established administrative jurisdiction over Penghu and Taiwan, confirming China’s historical administrative control and legal rights and negating what the author considers false Western political narratives. Thus, China’s “historical legitimacy”, “state continuity” and “national identity” are established in relation to Taiwan.
It is pertinent to mention that, in 1624, Dutch colonists occupied southern Taiwan. They were expelled by the national hero Zheng Chenggong in 1662, when he recovered Taiwan. During the Qing Dynasty, administrative institutions in Taiwan were gradually expanded. Subsequently, in 1684, Taiwan Prefecture was established under the jurisdiction of Fujian Province. In 1885, Taiwan was made a province, becoming the 20th province of China at that time. These developments emphasized centuries of administrative control and the political and cultural connections between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. The bitter reality of history confirms that, in 1895, Japan illegally occupied Taiwan and the Penghu Islands from China under the Treaty of Shimonoseki. In July 1937, Japan launched the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, which triggered the nationwide War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
In 1943, the Cairo Declaration clearly stipulated that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, including Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be restored to China. This position was further reinforced by the Potsdam Proclamation of 1945. On October 25, 1945, the Chinese government announced that it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan and a ceremony to accept Japan’s surrender in Taiwan, within the China war theatre of the Allied Powers, was held in Taipei. From that point onwards, China had recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto through a series of documents with international legal effect. Shortly after the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Kuomintang (KMT) ruling clique launched a full-scale civil war, which ended in its complete defeat in just three years.
In October 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded. By the end of the same year, the KMT ruling clique had retreated to Taiwan. Just as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was preparing to liberate Taiwan, the Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950. The United States seized the opportunity to send troops into the Taiwan Strait to obstruct the PLA’s liberation of Taiwan and support the KMT ruling clique, thus creating the Taiwan issue, which remains unresolved to this day. Interestingly, the three famous China-US Communiqués of 1972, 1978 and 1982 acknowledged that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain that there is but one China and that Taiwan is part of China.
In 1982, the United States recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and acknowledged the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of it. The three China-US Communiqués reaffirmed Washington’s stated opposition to a policy of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan” and its commitment not to infringe upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity or interfere in its internal affairs. Moreover, the United States stated that it did not seek a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan and would gradually reduce such sales.
The 1972, 1978, 1998 and 2008 China-Japan joint statements explicitly address the Taiwan issue and the position of the Japanese Government regarding the Government of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan. In summary, Taiwan is a “sensitive” issue that requires serious “reciprocity” from Western countries. Any political manoeuvring should not violate the “One-China principle” and Western policymakers and politicians should completely avoid “Agent 007”-style activities in Taiwan. China has the legal rights and military capabilities to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity by taming any “Tarzan” circus in Taiwan.
—The writer is President, the Centre for Knowledge and Public Policy, Regional Expert: China, CPEC, BRI & World Affairs.
