By: Lawal Sale
HISTORY TIMELINE:
Compiled by- Lawal Sale
Taiwan question has always been crystal clear dating back centuries; even before it’s return by the Japanese aggressors 80 years ago. The two sides of the Taiwan straits were not subordinate to each other – this is because both belonged to China since ancient times. Here are some historical records of Taiwan and why it cannot be separated from China despite the renewed interference and meddlesomeness by external interests:
YEAR 230
Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times and the earliest references to this effect are to be found, among others in Seaboard Geographic Gazetter compiled in year 230 by Shen Ying of the state of Wu during the three kingdom period.
YEAR 607
The royal court of the Sui dynasty has on three occasions sent troops to Taiwan, called Liuqiu at that time to ensure stability..
YEAR 960
Starting from the Song and Yuan dynasties, the imperial central government of China set up administrative bodies to exercise jurisdiction over Penghu and Taiwan.
YEAR 1624
In 1624, Dutch colonialists invaded and occupied the southern part of Taiwan. In 1662, General Zhang Chenggong, hailed as a national hero expelled the invaders from the Island.
YEAR 1684
Subsequently, the Qing court gradually set up more administrative bodies in Taiwan. In the same year, a Taiwan prefecture administration was set up under the jurisdiction of Fujian province. In 1885, Taiwan status was upgraded and it became the 20th province of China.
YEAR 1894
In July of this year, Japan launched a war of aggression against China. A year after, in April 1895, the defeated Qing government was forced to cede Taiwan and Penghu island to the Japanese invaders.
YEAR 1941
On December 9, 1941, the Chinese government issues a declaration of war against Japan and proclaimed that all treaties, conventions, agreements and contracts regarding relations between China and Japan had been abrogated, and that China would recover Taiwan and Penghu island.
YEAR 1931 – 1945
During the Chinese war of resistance against the Japanese aggression (1931-45), China’s Communists called for the recovery of Taiwan from Japan. In an interview with American journalists Nym Wales on May 15, 1937, Mao Zedong, China’s Chairman of the Communist Party said that China’s goal was to achieve a final victory in the war – a victory that would recover the occupied Chinese territories in northeast China and to the south of the Shanghai pass, and secure the liberation of Taiwan.
YEAR 1943
The Cairo declaration issued by China, the U.S, UK on December 1,1943 stated that it was the purpose of the three allies that all the territories Japan had stolen from China such as Northeast China, Taiwan and Penghu islands should be restored to China.
YEAR 1945
The Postdam proclamation was signed by China, U.S and U.K on July 28, 1945, and subsequently recognised by the Soviet Union. It stated: “The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out”. In September of the same year, Japan promised that it would faithfully fulfil the obligations laid down in the postdam proclamation. On October 25, 1945, the Chinese government announced that it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan, and the ceremony to accept Japan’s surrender in Taiwan province of the China war theatre of the Allied powers was held in Tai bei (Taipei). From that point forward, China had recorded Taiwan de jure and de facto through a host of documents with international legal effect.
YEAR 1949
On October 1, 1949, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was founded, becoming the successor to the Republic of China (1912-1949) and the Central People’s Government of the whole China. The new government replaced the previous KMT regime in a situation where China, as a subject under international law, did not change on sovereignty and its inherent territory did not change. As a natural result, the government of the PRC should enjoy and exercise China’s full sovereignty which includes its sovereignty over Taiwan.
YEAR 1971
At it’s 26th Session on October 1971, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which undertook “to restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representative of China to the UN”. The resolution settled once and for all the political, legal on procedural issues of China’s representation in the UN, and it covered the whole country, including Taiwan. It also spelled out that China has one single seat in the UN, so there is no such thing as “two China’s” in the UN or elsewhere.
YEAR 1978
The China-US joint Communique on the establishment of Diplomatic Relations, published in December 1978, stated: “The Government of the U.S of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but “one China”. It also stated: “The United States of America recognizes the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China”.
YEAR 2005-2015
The Anti-secession law adopted at the Third Session of the 10th NPC in March 2005, stipulates: “There is only one China in the world. Both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China. China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division”. The National Security Law, adopted at the 15th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 12th NPC in July 2015, also stipulates: the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China brook no violation or reparations. Safeguarding national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity is the common duty of all Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan compatriots”.
NIGERIA SUPPORTS ONE CHINA PRINCIPLE
In 1971 when China and Nigeria established diplomatic relations, Nigeria solemnly pledged in the Joint Communique: “The Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government representing the entire Chinese people”.
By so doing, Nigeria firmly adheres to the “One China Principle, recognizes that there is only one China in the world, that the government representing the whole China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory.
— Sale is Global South Affairs Analyst (lawalmaida1@yahoo.com)