Documents affirm one-China principle

As Dec 26 approaches, all eyes are on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and whether she will visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. A visit by a prominent Japanese leader to this shrine, a symbol of Japan's militaristic past, would undoubtedly exacerbate historical grievances and further strain relations in an already fragile geopolitical landscape. Such actions could inflame regional tensions, particularly with China, whose historical claims and sovereignty over Taiwan are integral to understanding these conflicts.

There is a historical and legal fact that is widely recognized by the international community — that Taiwan belongs to China. For centuries, Taiwan has been part of China's Fujian province. Japan took possession of the island after the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and this occupation lasted till the end of World War II in 1945 when Japan was defeated and China restored its governance over the island. Later, in 1949, the Kuomintang leaders and forces fled from the Chinese mainland, a fact that Western historians and writers often ignore.

The Cairo Declaration of 1943, jointly issued by Allied leaders, clearly states that all the territories Japan stole from China, such as Northeast China, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be returned to China.