REALPOLITIK forced South Africa’s recognition of mainland China and its decision to cut off official ties with Taiwan. Those who suggested the decision reflected the influence of the South African Communist Party on the government were missing the point. No serious international player can continue without ties to a country of China’s size and growth levels – and it was only a matter of time before our government accepted this reality.
It was heartening to see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after so much prevarication, make a firm and unequivocal policy decision. And the outcome does signal that a contribution to the African National Congress’s 1994 election coffers on the scale of Taiwan’s will only buy the government’s favour for a limited time.
But President Nelson Mandela and Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Nzo did leave us with the impression that foreign policy is made and changed in a rather confused and hurried way. Only a few months ago, Mandela was reassuring the Taiwanese that it would be “immoral” to ditch them; and he was embracing the Dalai Lama, and listening to his concerns about the treatment of his people under Chinese rule.
Last week’s change of direction was abrupt and unexpected, with little build-up and little diplomatic preparation. This seems a strange way to manage major shifts in policy.
And it would have been reassuring to hear Mandela raise the international community’s concerns with human rights in China. We would at least like to know that South Africa will use its relationship with China to encourage better treatment of dissidents, Tibetans and other victims of Beijing policy.