Bamanye Matiwane
This week, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi begins a trip to Asia. Her potential visit to Taiwan, although not yet confirmed by herself, has raised great tension and concern, not just in China, but also the wider international community since any interaction between the two largest economies of the globe could have a knock-on effect on the rest of the world.
The vast majority of countries in the world, South Africa included, acknowledge the fact that Taiwan is part of China and that China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has failed to honour the 1992 Consensus, an agreement that acknowledges and supports the One-China principle, and a principle that has been tried and proved true over the years.
But DPP is only a small part of the puzzle. An outsider, who shouldn’t be in the picture, has been adding fuel to the fire. History has shown that the US is the master of divide and conquer. We have seen this in Afghanistan, Angola, Palestine, and currently in the Ukraine Crisis.
Even the matter in question affirms that. The 1943 Cairo Declaration, which is the outcome of the Cairo conference between three countries, China, America, and the United Kingdom in 1943,has made it clear that all the territory Japan stole shall be restored to China, and that includes Taiwan.
The US’ aid to Taiwan undermines the declaration they made 78 years ago. The International community must hold to account all those that are trying to distort the Cairo Declaration. China and the US, being the major countries, are expected by the international community to work together towards a shared future especially when it comes to world peace.
During a phone call between President Xi Jinping and President Biden, the US President made it clear that the US does not support “Taiwan Independence”.The two presidents agreed to keep in contact to avoid misinterpretation of the Taiwan Question. The US president was clear that the one-China policy of the US has not changed and will not change.
It’s important for the US to live up to its commitment, and prove to the international community that it is a trustworthy nation.
Bamanye Matiwane is the President of SASCO