China’s attempt to threaten us

The Chinese ambassador to Malta dared write a piece of Chinese government propaganda in our daily newspaper.  Our democracy and freedom of expression allows Yu Dunhai to have such an opinion published.

I am a former ambassador of Malta to the EU, to NATO, to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium and Luxembourg and am proud to belong to the EU, a family of like-minded democratic countries where the rule of law and freedom of expression is there for all.

Unfortunately, the ambassador attempts to threaten us, suggesting that a visit by Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan was reckless and dangerous.

Visiting US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (centre) waves to journalists during her arrival at the parliament in Taipei on August 3. Photo: Sam Yeh/AFP

First of all, had Chang Kai Shek won the civil war in China, we would today have a democratic China as a partner, not a proto-Communist one party-ruled country, where minorities like the Uighurs have their culture exterminated and their population brainwashed in prison camps, with the central government denying this. If there is one China, there was also one Tibet, a peaceful country with its own religion, but that Tibet has been occupied by the Chinese army. Were these actions not reckless and dangerous?

Visiting Taiwan with the express wishes of the Taiwanese government and peoples is, and should be, allowed and respected as a good gesture of friendship.

The people of Hong Kong thought that they were a democratic region with many years of British influence until the student movement was brutally crushed.

Britain itself is made up of several countries in a union, a union that might soon break up peacefully through the will of the people because one of the country members of the union, Scotland, may soon express its desire to become independent just as Malta became independent in 1964. That is democracy in action.

China tried to buy Malta in the 1970s with lots of gifts but that did not wash.

Some African countries have fallen for that money-wrapped trap but we, the Maltese, are a proud independent nation of free thinkers with complete freedom of expression.

I am sure that, should I try to publish this letter in a Chinese daily newspaper, it would not be printed because the government cannot accept any criticism.

So, please, do not try to influence us in Malta with your message following Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. Your civil war ended in a stalemate.

Mao took and controlled the mainland and Chang Kai Shek took and liberated Taiwan, creating a successful republic with democracy and thriving economy.

Occupation of it would be as illegal and against international law as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia has been. An invasion which China has failed to criticise or to join in the imposition of sanctions.

John Vassallo – St Julian’s

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