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The South African Communist Party (SACP) reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the People’s Republic of China and the united Chinese people in their struggle against imperialist and other foreign interference and attempts at destabilising, dividing and disintegrating China. We stand firm in our commitment to the internationally recognised One-China Policy, which embodies the right of China to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The SACP unequivocally denounces any activities by any leader of the government that amount to interference in the internal affairs of sovereign nations. Such dangerous behaviour aligns with the agenda of the imperialist forces seeking to weaken global solidarity among progressive nations. A recent example is the meeting reported on 15 November 2024, involving South Africa’s Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Petrus Johannes Groenewald, and Mr Turgujan Alawdu, so-called “President” of the “World Uyghur Congress” (“WAC”). This separatist group, backed by foreign interests, seeks to undermine China’s unity, stability and territorial integrity.

The Freedom Front Plus, led by Dr Groenewald, expressed support for the separatist elements, said the separatists in their X post on Friday, 15 November 2024 when publicising the meeting they held with him. By meeting with such divisive groups and on this score being cited as South Africa’s Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Groenewald’s conduct seriously undermines South Africa’s international relations and co-operation policy, particularly the government’s recognition of the One-China Policy. The SACP calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to take urgent action to address the conduct and assert South Africa’s non-interference international relations and co-operation framework with China. 

The SACP reminds all in South Africa and the world at large of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, adopted on 25 October 1971. This resolution affirmed the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China and the entire Chinese nation at the United Nations and expelled the reactionary Kuomintang from the multilateral body. It is a historic rebuke of separatism and imperialist machinations. We reaffirm that South Africa must resolutely uphold this position and resist any efforts to undermine it.

South Africa is neither a colony nor a tool of any imperialist state or foreign interest. It is primarily the imperialists and neo-colonialists who lie behind activities that involve undermining the sovereignty of other nations and seeking to disintegrate the territorial integrity of the targeted countries. The SACP firmly condemns such actions and other imperialist and neo-colonialist machinations, including the trade wars waged against China by the United States-led imperialist collective West. 

Notably, the attacks against China are a reaction to its remarkable progress in rapidly developing its national productive forces under the leadership of the Communist Party of China – which resolutely fought for and is defending the hard-won Chinese independence and national unity. The development of national productive forces has many political economy, transformation and development advantages, which the imperialist regimes are relentless in blocking other nations from attaining. 

Having endured the brutality of colonisation and colonialism of a special type, including its intensification through apartheid, South Africans must strengthen efforts to build a broadest possible anti-imperialist patriotic front. Together, we must reject any manifestation of colonialism of a special type, both within our nation’s spatial development and other organisational patterns and in our international relations and co-operation policy.

Issued by the South African Communist Party,