The South African government is provoking a damaging row with Taiwan by demanding that that country’s government move its office out of Pretoria. The SA government is acting under pressure from the Chinese government, say diplomats.
Taiwan is resisting the pressure and is threatening retaliation, including suspending educational exchanges, tightening up on visas for South Africans, and demanding that SA move its office in Taiwan out of the capital, Taipei, according to Taiwanese media.
Daily Maverick has independently confirmed that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has insisted that Taiwan move its office from Pretoria, probably to Johannesburg, by the end of this month.
Our sources told us that Taiwan was resisting the pressure. Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, has instructed his officials to study possible countermeasures against the South African government, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA), quoting unnamed official sources.
Like most countries in the world, South Africa does not officially recognise Taiwan as a country separate from China, which claims the island state is part of it. However, since South Africa switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1998, the South African government has allowed Taiwan to maintain an official presence in South Africa under the name “Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa”.
The liaison office has its headquarters in Pretoria and a branch in Cape Town. These offices conduct official business between SA and Taiwan, including issuing visas and facilitating trade. They also manage Taiwan’s humanitarian aid programme, which has included giving rice to communities hit by floods and donating wheelchairs to the disabled.
Likewise, South Africa has maintained in Taipei what it calls the “Liaison Office of South Africa in Taiwan”.
Diplomatic retaliation
CNA reported that Dirco had threatened to close down Taiwan’s office in Pretoria if it did not vacate it by the end of October. It said the SA government cited United Nations Resolution 2758 which recognises the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate government of China.
CNA reported anonymous Taiwanese diplomats saying that if SA forced Taiwan out, Taiwan might retaliate by being more restrictive in issuing visas, cutting back on educational exchanges and demanding that South Africa move its representative office out of Taipei.
The CNA report said there were about 5,000 South Africans teaching English in Taipei and suggested they could be affected by Taiwan’s possible retaliation for being forced out of Pretoria.
The agency noted that when Nigeria had a similar row with Taiwan in 2017, demanding that it move its official office out of the capital, Abuja, to the commercial capital, Lagos, Taiwan retaliated by forcing Nigeria to move its trade office out of Taipei to Banqiao District in New Taipei.
Western diplomats told Daily Maverick that before the South African general elections in May, Dirco had first demanded — at the insistence of China — that Taiwan should move out of Pretoria.
The issue was delayed because of the elections and Taiwan hoped that after a Government of National Unity (GNU) was formed, South Africa would drop the demand, because of the participation of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the GNU. The DA has historically been sympathetic to Taiwan.
However, the government pressed ahead with its demand. This has raised questions about whether the DA has any influence over the GNU’s foreign policy.
The CNA report said that Dirco had most recently repeated its demand on 7 October, Taiwan’s National Day. It threatened to close the office if Taiwan did not move out and said there was no room for negotiation, Taiwan foreign ministry sources told CNA.
‘External pressure’
DA foreign affairs spokesperson Emma Powell told Daily Maverick it was clear that the SA government was acting under pressure from “external actors” — an obvious reference to China – but added that the ANC was not at liberty to take these decisions on its own now that it was part of the GNU.
Powell noted that the bilateral framework between Taiwan and South Africa had been in place for 26 years.
“While the DA acknowledges South Africa’s long-standing interpretation of United Nations Resolution 2758, which aligns with the recognition of One China, we have not been provided with any substantive reason to believe that our bilateral framework with Taiwan should now change.
“It is clear that pressure is being brought to bear on Pretoria by external actors in the context of both broader geopolitical tensions, and the newly formed Government of National Unity. As a sovereign democracy, South Africa must resist these external pressures and demonstrate our commitment to the consistent application of our policy of non-alignment.
“Section 231 (1) of the Constitution is clear that the negotiation and signing of all international agreements is the responsibility of the national executive.
“The ANC no longer have a national majority, and as such, are no longer at liberty to unilaterally determine South Africa’s foreign policy positions without consultation.
“The DA will leverage its position within the GNU to ensure a consensus-based approach to defining the national interest and determining the manner in which South Africa navigates complex geopolitical issues.
“South Africa exports $540-million in coal, $180-million in grain, and $180-million in automobiles to Taiwan annually. In the DA’s view, it is critical that Taiwan continues to enjoy consular and trade representation within our country, on the same basis that they have done since 1998.”
Daily Maverick approached Dirco for comment on Monday and Thursday. Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said he would respond, but had not done so by the time of publication. His response will be added once received.
Daily Maverick also asked the Taiwanese government for comment but had received none by publication time. The Taipei Liaison Office said its government in Taiwan would issue a statement. DM
Dirco Ministry responds
Update on October 17, 2024: Responding on Friday, Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said it noted "with concern the mischaracterisation of its engagements" with the Taipei Liaison Office (TLO).
"South Africa’s democratic government severed political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1997. This is consistent with resolution 2758 of the United Nations General Assembly, which is widely adhered to by the international community. Relocating what will be rebranded as Trade Offices both in Taipei and in Johannesburg, which is standard diplomatic practice, will be a true reflection of the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of the relationship between the Republic of South Africa and Taiwan.
"The Trade Office will be appropriately placed in Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic hub. This also aligns with standard diplomatic practice that capital cities are the seats of Foreign Embassies and High Commissions. Several engagements have been held with the TLO to correct this anomaly despite approaches by third-party countries, which is itself an unusual diplomatic practice.
"The TLO were given a reasonable six months to make the move. The same was communicated via the South African Liaison Office (SALO) in Taipei by South Africa’s representative to the territory," said Phiri. DM