China's claim over Taiwan does not support Mao Zedong's view, says ex-Dutch envoy

Reacting to current stance of Chinese Communist government, a former Dutch diplomat published a commentary saying Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) position on Taiwan’s status over time has changed drastically, Taiwan News reported. According to media outlet, recent commentary published in Diplomat, Gerrit van der Wees, a former Dutch diplomat, who served in Dutch government from 1982 through 2005, said CCP's position has changed. Quoting former Chinese President, he said earlier China considered Taiwan an "independent state". reaction came after Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, who reportedly told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last month that "Taiwan is a part of China and no one can change that."

According to Wees, "CCP position towards Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. It is problematic for two reasons. first is that it lacks a historical basis, and second, it is inconsistent since it is quite a recent position for CCP to hold." " CCP of 1920s actually held opposite view on Taiwan, recognizing people of Taiwan as a distinct nation or nationality. communist leers described anti-colonial resistance by Taiwanese against imperial Japan as a national liberation movement separate from Chinese revolution," according to commentary published in Diplomat. 

Meanwhile, citing Mao Zedong, former President of People's Republic of China, former diplomat told American journalist Edgar Snow that "we will extend m ( Koreans) our enthusiastic help in ir struggle for independence. same thing applies to Taiwan." Recently, reacting strongly to an op-ed article published in  Los Angeles Times, written by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over Taiwan issues, consul General Zhang Ping sent a letter to publication and reiterated that "Taipei City is an integral part of China".

According to letter sent to Times, consulate termed op-ed will only instigate confrontation between two major countries. Notably, statement came after Abe mentioned Taiwan and Ukraine in same breath and said time h come for United States to make clear that it would defend Taiwan. article was published on April 23 in  Los Angeles Times. In letter, consulate said that situations in Taiwan and Ukraine cannot be compared. "Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, where People's Republic of China is sole legal government. This One-China Principle is explicitly stated in both joint communiqués for establishing China-U.S. and China-Japan diplomatic ties," re letter. 

Know more about Taiwan and China's ongoing tension

Taiwan h split from China during civil war that brought Mao Zedong's Communist Party to power and established People's Republic of China in 1949. While Communist Party gained control of Chinese mainland in 1949, Kuomintang-ruled government of erstwhile Republic of China set up its government in Taiwan (officially called Republic of China). Although regions have been governed separately for more than seven deces, Communist Party continues to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. Beijing has, on several occasions, stepped up military exercises around self-ruled Taiwan, which it considers its own territory under One China policy.

Image: AP