TECO in Australia strongly refutes China's false claim about Taiwan in Mr. Xiao Qian's recent comments in an Australian media outlet as follows:
1. Beijing's historical sleight of hand exposed
Mr. Xiao's invocation of WWII conveniently omits that Taiwan's post-war status involved transfer to the Republic of China in 1945, four years before the People's Republic even existed. We categorically refute this distortion of historical facts intended to mislead the international community. The San Francisco Peace Treaty did not cede Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the PRC has never governed Taiwan. Neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the PRC is subordinate to the other, and the PRC has no right to represent Taiwan internationally.
2. Beijing should not cynically misrepresent shared wartime sacrifice to progress its territorial claims
A bipartisan Senate motion passed last August in Australia correctly identified and pushed back against Beijing's attempts to rewrite legal history. Mr. Xiao's attempt to transform wartime Australia-China cooperation into contemporary territorial claims represents precisely the kind of historical manipulation Australian parliamentarians rejected. This includes linking China’s WWII sacrifices with Taiwan’s current status, portraying historical events as justification for contemporary political objectives. Mr. Xiao’s opinion piece is just the latest in an ongoing disinformation effort focused on UN Resolution 2758.
3. International law is international law
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971 contains 158 words, none mentioning Taiwan. Beijing is misreading the resolution to claim that diplomatic representation equals territorial sovereignty. As in the South China Sea, Beijing is attempting to rewrite facts to create a self-serving political reality — but it is a fiction. This cynical and calculated move is rejected by governments worldwide.
4. Strategic timing reveals diplomatic pressure campaign
Mr. Xiao's piece, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, shows Beijing's systematic effort to use historical moments for political leverage. TECO urges Mr. Xiao to act pragmatically. Cross-strait relations can only improve on the basis of dignity and parity through dialogue grounded in historical facts, not distorted narratives.
5. Taiwan's democratic reality
Taiwan's 23 million citizens have built a vibrant democracy independent of Beijing's historical narratives. Taiwan began promoting political liberalization and democratization from the grassroots level in the mid-1980s, culminating in its first direct presidential election in 1996. Taiwan represents a contemporary reality that challenges Beijing’s claims — whether Beijing likes it or not, it is the hard truth.
6. International democratic solidarity
Taiwan hopes that democratic partners, including Australia, will unite to support the democratic value, address challenges posed by authoritarianism, and safeguard the rules-based international order.
