November 12, 2024

Taiwan stands firm on office location amid South Africa’s relocation request

Taiwan has rejected South Africa’s request to move its representative office from Pretoria, the capital, to Johannesburg, the country’s commercial hub, citing the importance of upholding a long-standing bilateral agreement.

During a news conference, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu emphasized that South Africa’s request breached a 1997 agreement between the two nations, which allows both countries to maintain representative offices. “The South African government’s demands have violated the 1997 agreement between Taiwan and South Africa, which stipulates that both parties can set up offices in each other’s country. Our side will never accept the unreasonable demands of the South African government,” Liu declared.


Taiwan’s firm stance reflects its continued efforts to resist diplomatic isolation attempts, particularly those linked to growing Chinese influence. “We are ready for any situation,” Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung reaffirmed during a legislative session on Monday, standing by the decision to keep the office in Pretoria.

Liu also made clear that the property is owned by Taiwan, adding, “Taipei has the authority to decide its location and status.”

Fan Chen-Kuo, director of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association, lent further weight to the decision, stating, “The South African government’s request is both unreasonable and illegal.” He pointed out that this viewpoint is shared by many other democratic nations, who also support Taiwan’s position.

While South Africa maintains a liaison office in Taipei, highlighting robust commercial relations between the two countries, these offices operate unofficially due to South Africa’s diplomatic recognition of China. In 2017, Taiwan complied with a similar request from Nigeria to relocate its office, but this time, Taiwan is standing firm, reinforcing its independence in making decisions about its diplomatic missions.

South Africa’s recent request has been seen as a move influenced by China, which has been increasing its presence in Africa through infrastructure projects and diplomatic efforts. However, Taiwan continues to operate missions in major countries around the world, underscoring its global presence despite China’s pressure.

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