China is misinterpreting World War Two-era documents to pressure Taiwan, according to the U. S. embassy in Taipei. As the 80th anniversary of the war’s end approaches, there is a dispute between Taiwan and Beijing over the historical significance of these documents.
Beijing argues that the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation support its claim of sovereignty over Taiwan, as they mention restoring Taiwan to Chinese control after Japan’s colonization. However, the Republic of China, which lost a civil war in 1949 and retreated to Taiwan, asserts that these documents do not acknowledge Mao’s People’s Republic of China, which did not exist at that time.
The American Institute in Taiwan stated that China is mischaracterizing these documents to justify its efforts to dominate Taiwan. It emphasized that none of the agreements determined Taiwan’s political status. The San Francisco Peace Treaty, which Japan signed in 1951 renouncing its claims to Taiwan, leaves the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty unresolved, a situation Beijing deems illegal due to its absence from the treaty.
In response, China’s foreign ministry expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that documents like the Cairo Declaration affirm China’s ownership of Taiwan. Furthermore, the U. S. maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan while adhering to a “one China policy,” recognizing China’s stance but not taking a position on Taiwan’s sovereignty. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister reaffirmed that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other.
With information from Reuters
