TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Malawi government joined forces with China in masterminding the switch of bilateral relations from Taipei to Beijing and fooling Taiwan authorities, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
The official made the comment following the government's last minute decision Monday evening to break off diplomatic ties with Malawi after its 42-year African ally announced that afternoon it was severing ties with Taipei and establishing relations with Beijing.
"Malawi collaborated with China in hiding the truth during that period of time," said MOFA acting spokesperson Phoebe Yeh.
"The Malawi government and Malawi ambassador in Taipei gave assurances [to the ministry] on several occasions that bilateral relations hadn't changed," she added.
In a video footage released by Chinese Xinhua News Agency Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Malawian Minister for Presidential and Parliamentary Affairs Davis Katsonga shook hands on Dec. 28, after signing the joint communique in Beijing.
"How can we turn a blind eye to this?" said Vice President Annette Lu during an interview with local cable TV channel TVBS shortly after Malawi's announcement.
She lamented that no foreign minister has ever stepped down to assume responsibility for the loss of a diplomatic ally since the Democratic Progressive Party gained power in 2000.
"Democracy is based on the spirit of political accountability," she added, noting that the three diplomatic allies with which Taiwan had severed ties during Foreign Minister James Huang's term were all of great importance to the country.
"If nobody is held responsible, then anybody who becomes the minister will have it too easy," she said, hinting at Huang.
Wednesday 16 January 2008
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