TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) has lodged a protest against South Africa, urging the nation to uphold democratic principles. The protest, issued on Sunday (March 16), follows South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) demand that Taiwan relocate its Pretoria office by the end of March, citing the "one-China policy."
DIRCO reclassified Taiwan's "Taipei Liaison Office" (台北聯絡代表處) as the "Taipei Commercial Office" (台北商務辦事處), placing it under the category of "international organizations represented in South Africa." An opinion piece published on March 12 in the South African media outlet Independent Online (IOL, 獨立線上) supported the name change, aligning it with South Africa's adherence to the one-China principle.
In late January, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) convened an emergency meeting, pushing for continued negotiations with DIRCO on equal and dignified terms. MOFA stated that both parties are engaged in discussions regarding potential changes to the legal framework governing their bilateral relations, with Taiwan advocating for swift resolution.
MOFA emphasized that South Africa's unilateral name change violates a 1997 agreement between the two entities. The ministry also noted that South Africa's actions have drawn international scrutiny, with the U.S. declaring South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool persona non grata due to his statements on the matter.