South Africa asks Taiwan to shut down its diplomatic office, Taipei cites pressure by Beijing

Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that South African government’s demand that Taiwan’s representative office leave Pretoria despite ongoing negotiations demonstrates that China has enhanced its repression of Taiwan, Taipei Times reported.

In a statement, the Taiwan ministry said, “We will continue to communicate with the South African government based on the principles of equality and dignity,” Taipei Times reported.

While upholding Taiwan’s stance that it would never accept unilateral changes to the “status quo,” Taiwan’s ministry said that it has been in contact and has been attempting to ascertain South Africa’s opinions regarding future bilateral relations through diplomatic channels since October last year.

The South African government attempted to downgrade the representative office and rename it a “trade office” in a letter issued to the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa late last month, asking the staff to leave Pretoria by the end of the next month, according to Taipei Times.

According to the ministry, the Chinese government recently sanctioned Ivan Meyer, the head of the Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in South Africa, over his visit to Taiwan, Taipei Times reported. South African government’s repeated requests for the representative office to leave the capital within a certain time frame, despite ongoing negotiations with Taiwan showcases China’s repression of Taiwan in South Africa has escalated.

“Taiwan’s position on not accepting the South African government’s unilateral contravention of bilateral agreements remains unchanged, and the nation will continue to uphold the principles of reciprocity and dignity when communicating with the South African government. Our subsequent responses will depend on the South African government’s actions and will be determined by Taiwan’s relevant plans. Related progress in this matter will also be explained to the public and the media in a timely manner,” the ministry said as quoted by Taipei Times.

The ministry further said, “We once again solemnly call on the South African government, as host of the G20 Summit this year, to abide by the 1997 legal framework for bilateral relations. Before a consensus is reached, they should not take any coercive measures or other measures that may interfere with the operations and expatriate services functions of Taiwan’s representative office.”