As a response to the inappropriate remarks by Chinese Ambassador Wu Peng on Taiwan at an event entitled “Remembering the History of Taiwan’s Retrocession and Promoting National Reunification—Photo Exhibition Commemorating the 81st Anniversary of Taiwan’s Restoration held on October 24, 2026, the Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa issues the following statement.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) firmly rejects the PRC’s erroneous assertions and reiterates the following facts:
Taiwan Is Not Part of the People’s Republic of China
The Republic of China was founded in 1912, long before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Since 1949, the Government of the Republic of China has continued to exercise full and effective sovereign governance over Taiwan. The PRC has never exercised governance over Taiwan for a single day since its establishment. Under international law and the prevailing international order, Taiwan and the PRC are not subordinate to one another.
The PRC’s assertions that “the historical and legal fact that Taiwan belongs to China cannot be changed” and that “the one-China principle is a prevailing consensus of the international community and a fundamental principle of international relations” have no basis in international law and are categorically untrue.
The PRC’s unilateral claim that “Taiwan is part of China” is a political assertion, not an established legal fact. The international community has never universally recognized this position. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 addressed the question of China’s representation at the United Nations only. It did not address the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty, nor did it authorize the PRC to represent the people of Taiwan.
The Historical Narrative of “Taiwan’s Restoration” Has Been Distorted
Following Japan’s defeat in 1945, Taiwan was returned to the Republic of China, not the People’s Republic of China. Pursuant to the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the Republic of China resumed administrative control over Taiwan. The PRC had not yet been established at that time. Accordingly, the PRC’s attempt to appropriate history and mislead the public by invoking the term “retrocession” is without foundation.
The Future of Taiwan Must Be Determined by Its 23 Million People
Taiwan is a vibrant democracy whose people enjoy the right to elect their leaders freely and determine their own future. Any attempt by the PRC to deny the status quo across the Taiwan Strait through historical distortion or political assertions runs counter to the principles of self-determination and peace enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
The Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa calls on South African media and the public to assess the PRC’s assertions with due scrutiny, guided by historical facts and international law. The Republic of China (Taiwan) will continue to work with South Africa and countries around the world to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the region.
Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa
29 October, 2026
