South Africa has defended its decision to order Taiwan to move its representative office out of Pretoria, framing it as a matter of “standard diplomatic practice.” The announcement, made by the South African Foreign Ministry, comes in response to international reactions concerning the relocation, which has been perceived as a significant shift in diplomatic relations.
In a statement released on Friday, the Foreign Ministry expressed concern over what it termed a mischaracterization of its engagements with the Taipei Liaison Office (TLO). The ministry clarified that South Africa severed political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1997, a move aligned with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, which transferred Taiwan’s UN seat to China. This resolution has been broadly accepted by the international community, reinforcing South Africa’s stance.
Reports emerged from Taipei-based Taiwan News on Thursday, indicating that South Africa had given Taiwan until the end of October to relocate its office from Pretoria, threatening closure if compliance was not met. Responding to these reports, South African Foreign Ministry spokesman Chrispin Phiri reiterated that the relocation was part of a well-established diplomatic protocol. The ministry has allocated a six-month period for the Taiwanese office to make the move, which was communicated through South Africa’s Liaison Office (SALO) in Taipei.
The representative office is set to be renamed as a trade office and relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and commercial hub. The Foreign Ministry stated, “Relocating what will be rebranded as Trade Offices both in Taipei and in Johannesburg will be a true reflection of the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of the relationship between the Republic of South Africa and Taiwan.”
This decision occurs against a backdrop of strengthened ties between China and South Africa, which recently elevated their relationship to an “all-round strategic cooperative partnership.” Chinese state media reported on Friday that the Chinese government lauded South Africa’s decision to move Taiwan’s representative office, a move that aligns with China’s long-standing policy regarding Taiwan.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and expects its diplomatic allies to refrain from official contact with Taipei. Since asserting its independence in 1949, Taiwan has seen its number of diplomatic allies diminish to just 12 as of 2024, highlighting the significant pressure it faces on the international stage.
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