China firm on Taiwan issue<\/p>\n
BEIJING (AFP): The issue of Taiwan is "the only obstacle" to
\nsetting up Sino-South African diplomatic ties, China said
\nyesterday, as it rejected any possibility of letting Pretoria
\nrecognize both Beijing and Taipei.<\/p>\n
"We will never accept dual recognition," a foreign ministry
\nspokesman said, in response to remarks made Thursday by South
\nAfrican President Nelson Mandela that his country would not sever
\ndiplomatic ties with Taiwan in order to establish relations with
\nChina.<\/p>\n
"At present, the only obstacle in establishing diplomatic
\nrelations between the two countries is the question of Taiwan,"
\nthe spokesman said, stressing that Taiwan was an inalienable part
\nof China and Beijing the sole legitimate government of all China.<\/p>\n
"This fact has been acknowledged and respected by the United
\nNations and the vast majority of countries in the world," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Taiwan only has diplomatic relations with 29 countries, of
\nwhich South Africa is far and away the most important.<\/p>\n
Taipei's desire to retain links with Pretoria at all costs was
\nreflected last year when, in a major policy change, the
\ngovernment said it would be willing to share recognition by South
\nAfrica with Beijing.<\/p>\n
South Africa's strong links with Taiwan date to the apartheid
\nera, when the former white-minority government found a useful
\nally in the isolated nationalist government.<\/p>\n
Mandela's ruling African National Congress (ANC), meanwhile,
\ndeveloped ties with China, which supported its armed struggle
\nagainst apartheid.<\/p>\n
Most observers here had expected Mandela to switch recognition
\nfrom Taipei to Beijing after the ANC's victory in South Africa's
\nfree, multi-racial elections last year.<\/p>\n
The first South African parliamentary delegation to ever visit
\nChina is currently in Beijing to discuss bilateral ties and it
\nreceived a stern lecture Tuesday from Foreign Minister Qian
\nQichen on the importance China attaches to the Taiwan question.<\/p>\n
Beijing has viewed Taiwan as a renegade province ever since
\nnationalist forces fled to the island in 1949 after losing a
\ncivil war to the communists on the mainland.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/china-firm-on-taiwan-issue-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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