Status: 11/15/2021 5:00 p.m.
50 years ago, representatives of the People’s Republic of China took part in a UN meeting for the first time – Taiwan had lost its seat. Today Beijing largely enforced its one-China principle.
It was a historic moment. On November 15, 1971, Qiao Guanhua, then Deputy Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic, spoke for the first time at a UN General Assembly. Since then, China has been represented at the United Nations by the Communist-ruled People’s Republic – the most populous country in the world. The Republic of China, which has only existed on the island of Taiwan since the Chinese Civil War, lost its seat.
The takeover of the representation of China by the People’s Republic of China was the result of an initiative of the then US President Richard Nixon and his security advisor Henry Kissinger, who wanted to reorganize relations with China, explains the German sinologist Helwig Schmidt-Glintzer, director of the China Center at the University of Tübingen.
Nixon needed foreign policy successes at the time, in particular an end to the Vietnam War. And for this he needed China: “The chances were good because China was in a border conflict with the Soviet Union and wanted to reorient itself internationally.” And in the UN General Assembly, the admission of the People’s Republic found great approval, especially among the countries of the Global South.
A historic encounter with far-reaching consequences: in February 1972, the Chinese President Mao welcomed the American President Noxon in Beijing.
Image: picture alliance / dpa
What remained of the self-claim
Much has changed in the past 50 years. The balance of power has shifted around the world. In 1971, Vice Foreign Minister Qiao Guanhua told the UN General Assembly: “Superpowers want to be superhuman and dominate. China will never be a superpower that attacks, infiltrates, controls, dominates, harasses and interferes with others.”
But that is exactly what China is doing many times today, say critics. The People’s Republic is now the second largest economy in the world after the USA and a rising military power. Neighboring states feel this on a regular basis. For example, China claims almost the entire South China Sea for itself.
Interpretation in your own favor
The People’s Republic uses the United Nations to assert its own interests, says political scientist Rosemary Foot from Oxford University in Great Britain. It refers to the three pillars of the UN Charter: peace, development and human rights. China interprets the charter for its own benefit, emphasizes development and social stability, but neglects human rights, for example.
So mention them Charter also non-violence – except for self-defense. The Chinese have repeatedly deployed their military in legal gray areas, in the South China Sea or on the Indian-Chinese border: “They argue under the guise of sovereignty that this is a matter of self-defense and not the inappropriate use of force,” says Foot .
China always presents itself as a country that adheres to the rules of the United Nations. State and party leader Xi Jinping said a few weeks ago in a speech on the 50th anniversary of the UN admission of the People’s Republic to the United Nations that China would become “Adhere to the path of peaceful development and work for world peace. China is committed to reform and openness and will participate in world development,” he said. China is also committed to multilateralism and will always defend the international world order.
Threats against Taiwan
Taiwan, which was dictatorially ruled 50 years ago and now has a population of around 24 million, is now a lively liberal democracy. While the Republic of China has given up speaking for the whole of China, the Beijing government continues to claim Taiwan and regularly threatens violence if peaceful unification does not occur.
The People’s Republic forbids any international interference, as this is a domestic political issue. In addition, the government prevents Taiwan from having diplomatic relations with other countries and from being represented in international organizations such as the World Health Organization.
A point of contention with the US
The fact that the United States has recently increased its support for Taiwan is therefore provoking expected indignation from the Chinese government. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently called on UN member states to help Taiwan become more involved in the United Nations.
The reaction of the People’s Republic came promptly. State and party leadership spokesman Zhao Lijian said at the end of October that the US had “been making mistakes about Taiwan for quite a while” and that China was reacting decisively: “If the US continues like this on the Taiwan issue, it will put the Chinese American relations at stake. Furthermore, they endanger cross-strait peace and stability and the self-interests of the United States. “
The United States’ recent efforts to give Taiwan more international recognition are likely to be in vain, according to most political observers. Oxford University political scientist Rosemary Foot believes Taiwan is very unlikely to return to the United Nations. There is simply not enough support for this step – only a little more than ten countries recognize Taiwan at all as a state: “The USA, Great Britain and European countries are basically all pursuing a one-China policy.”