PRESS RELEASE: One Rule For Palestine, Another For Taiwan, Says Referendum Party

The Referendum Party is appalled but not surprised by the South African government’s blatant hypocrisy regarding human rights. There is one rule for the ANC’s allies and another for its enemies.

Minister Lamola’s shameless support for China’s unlawful ‘One China Policy’, reiterated on behalf of the government in a parliamentary reply, is deplorable.

All people have the right to self-determination. Since 1994, South Africa has sworn to uphold this principle three times in international treaties it has signed and ratified. 

Section 232 of the Constitution renders these treaties law in the Republic.

South Africa is an outspoken advocate for self-determination for the Palestinian and Western Saharan peoples, demanding that other countries respect their rights. However, when it comes to the Taiwanese people, it callously disregards their right to self-determination.

Taiwan is a constitutional democracy; China is a one-party state. It is inconceivable that South Africa would support the Taiwanese people being deprived of the highly functional democracy they have successfully built, and instead endorse China’s attempts to force them—against their will and under threat of military force—to accept China’s sovereignty.

China habitually and intentionally misrepresents UN Resolution 2758 to falsely assert that it grants China sovereignty over Taiwan. It does not and never has. For South Africa to parrot China’s propaganda as justification for contravening the international treaties it has signed is wholly unacceptable.

The Referendum Party unequivocally supports the Taiwanese people’s right to self-determination and sovereignty over Taiwan.