JOHANNESBURG—Following the South African government’s order that Taiwan move its official representative office out of the capital city of Pretoria, some U.S. lawmakers are condemning the decision and calling for consequences.
Chrispin Phiri, spokesman for South Africa’s Department of International Relations & Cooperation, confirmed to The Epoch Times that “the president has made it clear that the Taiwanese government must vacate its Pretoria premises by the end of October and relocate to Johannesburg or action will be taken to ensure that this happens.”
Blackburn called on the Biden administration “to make it clear that there will be consequences if South Africa works with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) to bully Taiwan, including removal of South Africa from the AGOA trade program.”
She said the United States “must not provide trade benefits to countries that prioritize China’s influence over democratic partnerships.”
AGOA is the African Growth and Opportunity Act, under which 35 African countries earn billions of dollars annually by getting tariff-free access to U.S. markets for thousands of products.
South Africa, the continent’s preeminent economy, has been the biggest beneficiary of AGOA since its enactment in 2000 by President Bill Clinton.
Blackburn’s comments on X were echoed by several colleagues in Congress.
He said on X on Oct. 22 that Pretoria’s action was a result of CCP “coercion” and described it as “brazen interference into affairs of other nations.”
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) urged “a full review of South Africa’s relationship with the United States for succumbing to the CCP’s demands.”
Taiwanese government officials say they'll lobby the United States and other allies to resist an “unreasonable demand” from the South African government to move its liaison office to nearby Johannesburg.
“China is using South Africa as a proxy in a ... war to destroy us,” said a Taiwanese diplomat who requested anonymity as he isn’t authorized to speak with the media.
“South Africa is just another pawn being used by China to undermine and minimize Taiwan’s international representation.”
The diplomat told The Epoch Times that Pretoria is “where all nations of the world have diplomatic missions” and said, “Taiwan will refuse to close a building which we lawfully own.”
China’s Role
Several officials in Pretoria told The Epoch Times that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration made the request to Taipei on Oct. 16, following pressure from China.Taiwan is a self-governing republic with diplomatic relations with the United States and other major nations. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, often threatening to annex it by force.
The region comprises 40 countries that are home to 65 percent of the world’s population and is expected to account for half of the world’s gross domestic product by 2040.
“The Indo-Pacific is therefore of extreme geostrategic importance to the United States and its Western partners,” said Liesl Vaudran, a senior adviser with African Union.
“Taiwan is essential to the U.S. objective of preventing the Indo-Pacific from being controlled by China.”
She told The Epoch Times that President Joe Biden has “very aggressive support for Taiwan, so South Africa’s latest provocation to Taiwan hasn’t gone down very well in Washington.”
Pretoria’s request was made as Ramaphosa’s top representatives met their Chinese counterparts in Russia at the BRICS Summit of leading emerging economies, and shortly after Beijing conducted military exercises around Taiwan.
Different Voices in South Africa
Phiri, spokesman for South Africa’s international relations department, told The Epoch Times neither the BRICS meeting nor China’s military maneuvers “are remotely related” to the issue of Taiwan’s presence in Pretoria.“Relocating what will be rebranded as trade offices both in Taipei and in Johannesburg will be a true reflection of the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of the relationship between the Republic of South Africa and Taiwan,” Phiri said.
“The trade office will be appropriately placed in Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic hub. This also aligns with standard diplomatic practice that capital cities are the seats of Foreign Embassies and High Commissions.
“I must once again emphasize that Taiwan has never had an official consulate in Pretoria.”
Emma Powell, foreign affairs representative of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA), told The Epoch Times her organization would “fight” to keep Taiwan’s office in Pretoria.
The pro-West DA, along with Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC), are the main partners in a fragile coalition government.
After an election in late May during which voters punished the ANC for decades of corruption, economic decay, and violent crime, it lost the outright majority it enjoyed since 1994.
“The ANC is behaving as if it still has unchecked power in government,” Powell said. “We remind President Ramaphosa that his international relations department is no longer at liberty to unilaterally determine South Africa’s foreign policy positions.
“The DA will leverage its position to ensure a consensus-based approach to defining the national interest and determining the manner in which South Africa navigates complex geopolitical issues.”
The ANC has maintained close ties with the CCP since the 1950s.
The CCP backed the ANC’s struggle against apartheid with money and weapons, and many party leaders received military training and education in China.
Derek Hanekom, a cabinet minister in Mandela’s 1994–1999 administration, told The Epoch Times, “Mr. Mandela resisted pressure from Beijing and from within his own party to downgrade relations with Taiwan.”
But in 1997 he reluctantly agreed to cut diplomatic recognition of Taiwan in favor of the People’s Republic of China.
A de Facto Embassy
It was called the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa but it operates as a de facto embassy.Taiwanese officials confirmed this, saying that the Pretoria office issues visas, facilitates trade, and conducts official business between South Africa and Taiwan.
One official said the office is also used to “manage a humanitarian aid program that provides food and health services in poor communities in South Africa.”
CNA reported that these countermeasures could include Taiwan demanding that South Africa move its representative office out of Taipei, and being “more restrictive” in issuing tourist and work visas to South Africans.
The agency said 5,000 South Africans teaching English in Taipei could be affected.
Powell, South Africa’s Democratic Alliance representative, said given Taiwan’s economic contribution to the country, “it’s critical that Taiwan continues to enjoy consular and trade representation” in South Africa on “the same basis that it has done for the past 30 years.”
She also voiced concern that South Africa’s “spat” with Taiwan would result in Pretoria’s relations with Washington “deteriorating” even further.
“Under the ANC we’ve moved closer to all of America’s enemies, like China, Russia, and Iran,” Powell said. “Picking a fight with a Taiwan that’s supported by America is not only morally incorrect, but it’s also not good business.”
