The South African government has once again asked Taiwan to relocate its representative office from Pretoria, with additional attempts to downgrade and rename it as a "Trade Office." Taiwan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry firmly rejected this move on Tuesday, calling it a unilateral violation of their existing agreement.
The ministry urged South Africa to uphold the 1997 bilateral relations legal framework and stressed that no coercive measures or actions that could disrupt the office’s operations or its services to the Taiwanese community should be taken before a consensus is reached.
The Ministry’s Deputy Director-General of the West Asian and African Affairs Department Chen Yung-po (陳詠博) said that negotiations have been ongoing through official channels since the issue first arose last year. However, a letter was sent again in late January by the South African government to the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa demanding that their move be completed by the end of March.
According to the ministry’s press statement on Sunday, the South African government's renewed deadline — issued despite ongoing negotiations with Taiwan — signals an escalating push by China to suppress Taiwan in South Africa. Nonetheless, the ministry said it will continue negotiations with South Africa based on the principles of equality and dignity.