TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has condemned China for increasing its efforts to suppress Taiwan’s presence in South Africa, after the South African government demanded that Taiwan’s liaison office in Pretoria be relocated by the end of March.
In a statement on Sunday, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry revealed that the South African government had once again sent a letter demanding the relocation of the Taipei Liaison Office, which was established after South Africa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in January 1998. While the liaison office has functioned as a de facto embassy, it does not have official diplomatic status.
Taiwan responded by accusing China of intensifying its efforts to suppress Taiwan’s international presence, particularly in South Africa, a key player in BRICS and an important trading partner for China. The ministry highlighted the case of Ivan Meyer, the chairman of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance party, who was sanctioned by China for visiting Taiwan.
“China is ramping up efforts to suppress Taiwan in South Africa,” the ministry stated, reaffirming Taiwan’s refusal to accept the South African government’s actions as a violation of the bilateral agreement and asserting that Taiwan would continue to communicate with South Africa on the principles of equality and dignity.
At the time of publication, neither South Africa nor China had responded to Taiwan’s statement.
Taiwan-South Africa Relations
South Africa adheres to the One China policy, recognizing the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the legitimate government of China, which includes Taiwan as part of its territory. Diplomatic relations between South Africa and China have flourished since their formal establishment in 1998, with China becoming South Africa’s largest trading partner.
As a member of the BRICS grouping, which includes countries like Brazil, Russia, India, and China, South Africa has aligned itself with Beijing on various global governance issues, including economic and political initiatives.
In October 2024, South Africa asked Taiwan to move its liaison office out of Pretoria under what Taiwan claims was pressure from China. The request from South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation framed the move as a reflection of the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of relations between the two nations. It also aligned with the country’s official stance after cutting political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1997.
China expressed approval of South Africa’s request, praising it as a “correct decision,” further solidifying the growing influence of China in the African continent.
Taiwan’s International Diplomacy
Despite its significant economic power and democratic governance, Taiwan faces ongoing pressure from Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the island and insists that Taiwan has no right to independent diplomatic relations. Taiwan maintains formal ties with only a few countries, most of which are small or less developed nations.
Taiwan’s government has consistently rejected China’s sovereignty claims, emphasizing that China has no authority to represent or speak on Taiwan’s behalf in international matters.
As tensions continue to rise, Taiwan’s diplomatic relations with South Africa remain a focal point in the broader geopolitical struggle between the Taipei government and the Beijing regime.