Government misses an important point in fracas over Taipei trip
In lambasting Tshwane’s mayor Solly Msimanga for breaching 'our One-China policy', the government shows the same anti-democratic tendencies as mainland China, writes Mark Allix
Monday night’s media statement by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) that "foreign visits" by South African officials must be co-ordinated and seek to advance SA’s foreign policy and national interests is a pertinent reminder of how far the country has fallen under President Jacob Zuma. In lambasting a trip to Taiwan’s capital Taipei by Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga as being in breach of "our One-China policy", the government is exhibiting the same anti-democratic tendencies as mainland China. "In a move that is highly regrettable, Mayor Msimanga disregarded Dirco’s advise (sic) and proceeded with the visit," the department said late on Monday. The one-China policy refers to a policy or viewpoint that there is only one China, despite the existence of two governments that claim to be "China" — in Beijing, and Taipei in Taiwan. This resulted from China’s civil war after 1949, when nationalist Chinese were expelled from China and fled to the island to esc...
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