In the FT’s article (which can be found here) Rachman does a disservice to objectivity when he states in his second paragraph that Taiwan “is, de facto, an independent state but claimed by Beijing”.
In just a few words he fails comprehensively to put the Taiwan issue in its proper context – that does not mean siding with China but it does require that the relevant issues are put before the reader.
Chiang Kaishek was the beaten leader of the Kuomintang. In 1949 he and his remnant troops sought sanctuary in Formosa/Taiwan – never an independent entity but always part of China. Chiang arrived and declared the island the Republic of China at the very time Mao Testung was announcing to the world the inauguration of the new People’s Republic of China. The world, disbelieving the reality of Mao’s new 600m people state, then recognised Taiwan as the the true representatives of China from 1949 to 1972.
China rates territorial integrity as a prime number one issue – whether it is Tibet, China-India border, Taiwan, Hong Kong or the South China Sea. By all means criticise China, if that is your viewpoint, but do not misrepresent China.
Graham Perry
October 2020
