TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan faces mounting diplomatic pressure in South Africa where authorities are demanding the relocation of its representative office from the administrative capital of Pretoria to the commercial hub of Johannesburg. Foreign Affairs Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) reassured the public Friday (May 16) that Taiwan's diplomatic mission continues to operate without disruption despite these escalating tensions.
Minister Lin revealed that Taipei has directed its diplomatic representatives to engage in negotiations with South African authorities while firmly defending Taiwan's rights and interests. He pointedly referenced the diplomatic agreement established when South Africa severed official ties with Taiwan in favor of the People's Republic of China in 1998, insisting that such bilateral commitments cannot be arbitrarily disregarded by either party.
Taiwanese diplomats have initiated a series of delicate discussions with their South African counterparts to find a resolution that preserves Taiwan's diplomatic presence and status. In a notable development, Lin disclosed that members of South Africa's own ruling coalition have expressed opposition to their government's unilateral demands, concerned that such actions could attract unwanted international attention and criticism.
The diplomatic tensions escalated in March when South African authorities unilaterally downgraded Taiwan's representation by changing its designation from the Taipei Liaison Office (台北聯絡代表處) to the more limited Taipei Commercial Office. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) has explicitly attributed these developments to Beijing's growing political influence over Pretoria, part of a broader pattern of pressure on Taiwan's international space. ◼