Cairo Declaration Commemorated by CCTV, Chinese Netizen Reactions

CCTV recently commemorated the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Cairo Declaration, an agreement reached on November 27th, 1943 among the three major Allied powers – the United States, Great Britain and China. This historic declaration brought together allied leaders including Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek in order to established the surrender conditions for Japan that stipulated the return of territories taken by Japan since World War I.

CCTV claimed that the Cairo Declaration provided the legal justification for the return of the Diaoyu Island after World War II along with Taiwan. However, netizens pointed out that the Cairo Declaration was signed by the Nationalist government at the time and had nothing to do with the Communist Party, with many criticizing the convenient use of the anniversary when it is hardly even taught in Chinese history books.

From Sina Weibo:

@央视新闻: Announcement of the Cairo Declaration — 70 years ago today, China, America and Britain together issued the “Cairo Declaration”, stipulating that Japan will return the territory it stole from China, “stop and punish Japanese aggression”, “strip Japan of all of island holdings gained after World War I from 1914”. Truth must not be distorted, history must not be tampered with. Only if we take history as a guide can we look to the future.

Comments from Sina Weibo:

@我不神经谁病：

This must be fake, we never learned it in the history books, Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling were PS‘d onto [the picture]. The KMT is is treacherous, shameless!!

@EnigmaCN：

The Japanese devils did not send representatives to the Cairo Declaration, so them not recognizing this declaration also makes some sense. While the later Potsdam Declaration helped strengthen the Cairo Declaration, from the Republican era to now, the Diaoyu Islands have been continuously occupied by the Japanese devils under a situation of tacit consent…

@想入飞飞222：

The Cairo Declaration was issued by the Republic of China not the People’s Republic of China.

@恋上Tequila：

President Chiang signed it; it has nothing to do with you.

@犀利向前冲：

You can’t even respect history, so how do you have the courage to criticize others?

@俊霆小馆：

We will never recognize the deals brokered between the American imperialists, British imperialists and Chiang bandits.

@十八划生：

So now they recognize Chiang Kai-shek?

@老衲昨夜观天象：

May I ask who was the Chinese leader who vigorously led the Chinese people to resist the Japanese? Was it Mao Zedong? Who was the leader who signed the Cairo Declaration? Was it Mao Zedong?

From Sina Weibo:

@新浪新闻视频: Video: Xinwen Lianbo Brief Commentary: Defend the Integrity of the Cairo Declaration — The Cairo Declaration stipulated that Japan must return the ill-gotten gains of its war of expansion… America should have upheld this principle, but instead took an ambiguous stance out of strategic self-interest, concocting the Treaty of San Francisco to privately give away the Diaoyu Islands, muddying the waters of Asia-Pacific. On such unjustified grounds, an emboldened Japan assumes its outrageous posture. http://t.cn/8kq12TH

[Note: The above link and image leads to a video clip of the relevant CCTV Xinwen Lianbo segment (in Chinese).]

Comments on Sina Weibo:

@Q鱼头：

The problem is the Cairo Declaration did not have the words “Diaoyu Islands”, so what can you do? Okinawa was also forcibly occupied by the Japanese, but why don’t you mention that?

@孤山狂士：

Chiang Kai-shek, the reactionary is now the protagonist.

@金貼ROC：

The Cairo Declaration was for the Republic of China, it has nothing to do with you, the Communist Party.

@荷兰一品堂：

The Cairo Declaration was signed by whom? Who was the cornerstone of the War of Resistance Against Japan? Who was the legitimate government at the time?

@blue_石头：

The 70th anniversary of the Cairo Declaration, and China was only founded 64 years ago.

@孙树冠V：

The commies defending a declaration signed by the KMT…what is this, is CCTV still the mouthpiece of the Party?

@2013Jas很忙：

I have zero interest in who the Diaoyu Island belongs to!!!