John Bolton: Respond to China’s Coronavirus ‘Cover-Up’ by Recognizing Taiwan – By Patrick Goodenough (CNS News) / April 16 2020
(CNSNews.com) – The United States should respond to China’s COVID-19 “cover-up” and Taiwan’s efforts in the face of the pandemic by considering restoring full diplomatic relations with Taiwan, former National Security Advisor John Bolton suggested on Wednesday.
“In light of Taiwan’s efforts on coronavirus, Beijing’s opposition & its cover-up, the U.S. needs to consider again extending full diplomatic recognition to Taiwan,” Bolton tweeted. “As I said 20 years ago, U.S. interests are best served by giving Taiwan its unambiguous support.”
Bolton linked to an article he wrote in 2000, in his capacity as senior vice president of the American Enterprise Institute, arguing that a policy of “dual recognition” – recognizing and having full diplomatic relations with both China and Taiwan – “simply recognizes reality, the best grounding for any foreign policy.”
In 1971, the U.N. General Assembly voted to expel Taiwan and give the “China” seat to the communist People’s Republic of China. Eight years later, President Jimmy Carter cut ties with Taiwan and recognized the PRC.
China regards Taiwan as a rebel province that will ultimately be reincorporated into “one China” – by force if necessary. It refuses to have diplomatic relations with the handful of small countries that still have diplomatic ties with the island democracy.
The Taiwan issue is a non-negotiable “core interest” for Beijing, and the vast majority of the world’s nations comply with its wishes. So does the U.N. and its agencies – including the World Health Organization, which has not allowed Taiwan to take part in its annual assembly, even as an observer, without China’s permission, sporadically-granted.
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