> From: "Henry C.K. Liu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> SA established diplomatic realtions with China less than two years ago.
> Mandela went to China to thank the People's Republic for its unswering
> support against Apartheid through the decades, musch to US displeasure
> who wanted Mandela to sing the same American tune on human rights.
Henry, as you imply, the ANC haven't been too picky
about their friends. Suharto got the highest SA national
award from Mandela--allegedly on the basis of a $25 mn
donation to the ANC--just a few weeks before getting
ousted by the masses.
In 1994, Taiwan made a documented donation of $10
mn to the ANC prior to the first election, which was cited
as one basis for retaining SA official recognition of Taiwan
instead of the People's Republic of China. The following
Mail and Guardian report (December 8 1995) provides
details:
It appears that South Africa has chosen relations
with Taiwan over mainland China to repay an
ANC debt, reports Gaye Davis. President Nelson
Mandela has cited a $10-million donation from the
Republic of China on Taiwan for the African
National Congress' general election campaign as
one reason South Africa would not break ties with
the island republic in favour of diplomatic relations
with mainland China.
Mandela told the gathering the money was
given as "a donation and not a bribe" after he
requested assistance and that the ANC would not
repay a friend's favours by "stabbing them in the
back"...
Taiwanese ambassador to South Africa,
I-Cheng Loh, was still insisting no donation had
been made.
Opposition political party leader Tony Leon (a Thatcherite)
concluded,
Our whole foreign policy is based on the electoral
debts of the ANC. When the ANC is short of cash
it runs off to the Gulf states or to Morocco for
help... There is something wrong and imminently
corruptible about governments donating funds to
political parties. In our view, our foreign policy is
largely available for hire... If you make a
substantial donation to the ANC you get special
foreign policy considerations--whether or not these
are in our country's best interests or in keeping
with the international posture South Africa is trying
to keep. It is flawed, short-sighted and should be
corrected by legislation.
When in 1996 South Africa reversed position by
recognising the PRC, a furious Taiwanese Foreign Minister
(John Chang) suspended grants to South Africa worth $80
mn and loans worth $50 mn.
