July 22, 2025
No. 253
Without consulting Taiwan, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) issued a notice in the Government Gazette on July 21 indicating that, from April 1, Taiwan’s liaison offices in South Africa had been renamed the Taipei Commercial Office in Johannesburg and the Taipei Commercial Office in Cape Town. The notice even erroneously cited United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and South Africa’s “one China policy.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly protests this announcement.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung promptly instructed MOFA’s Department of West Asian and African Affairs and the Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa (TLO) to lodge solemn protests with the Liaison Office of South Africa in Taipei and DIRCO, respectively. He also directed the TLO to continue to negotiate with DIRCO on the principles of parity and dignity.
South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile led a delegation to China from July 14 to 18. Following his visit, the South African government published its unreasonable announcement in the Government Gazette. This demonstrates that China has ramped up suppression of Taiwan in South Africa and that South Africa is willing to bow to China and exert pressure on Taiwan. MOFA expresses regret and dissatisfaction over these developments.
MOFA reiterates that the position of the Taiwan government remains unchanged and that it will not accept the South African government’s unilateral violation of its 1997 agreement with Taiwan. The Taiwan government will continue to communicate with the South African government on the principles of parity and dignity. And in the face of South Africa’s repeated unilateral changes to the names and status of Taiwan’s liaison offices, Taiwan will take appropriate action in accordance with the circumstances.
MOFA solemnly calls on South Africa, as the host country of this year’s Group of 20 summit, to abide by the 1997 legal framework concerning bilateral relations and not employ coercive tactics against Taiwan’s liaison offices or take any other actions that might interfere with their operations or services before both sides have reached a consensus through consultations. (E)