Taiwan stands firm, refusing to move its office from Pretoria, as South Africa faces backlash from US Republicans over its diplomatic decision.
More US Republican Party congressmen have joined the queue to condemn South Africa for expelling Taiwan’s liaison office from its capital.
At home, the department of international relations and cooperation has refused to engage substantively on the matter via the media and undertook to use appropriate official channels.
A senior Republican senator questioned why US President Joe Biden’s administration refused to review its policy towards a “South Africa that is hostile to the US”, while others blamed the Communist Party of China for manipulating South Africa.
‘SA is hostile to the US’ – Republican senator
They accused South Africa of not adhering to its nonaligned foreign policy on the Taiwan issue. T
Taiwan has since indicated that it will not move the office from Pretoria and will not meet the month-end deadline set by South Africa.
It is not clear what action Pretoria might take in response.
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The department of international relations and cooperation yesterday reiterated its position on the issue. However, the department said it would not engage through the media but would do so via the appropriate official channels.
Earlier, the department told the office to move out of Pretoria and relocate to Johannesburg.
Minister Ronald Lamola’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, reiterated the decision to cut political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan dated back as far as 1997.
Decision to cut ties with Taiwan dated back to ’97
“Put differently, the fact that the office in question is called the Taipei liaison office in South Africa is telling. A true reflection of our valued non-diplomatic ties is best represented by a proper adherence to international conventions and UN General Assembly principles. Moreover, it is a position taken by a significant majority of the nations of the world,” Phiri said.
Senator Tom Cotton of the Republican Party described the South African decision as “deeply disturbing and inappropriate”.
Cotton said South Africa’s aggression against Taiwan on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party was deeply disturbing and inappropriate.
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“I, along with all Arkansans, stand firmly with Taiwan in the face of bullying from the Chinese Communists and their cronies,” Cotton said.
Congress foreign affairs committee member and House foreign affairs Republican chair Michael McCaul wrote on X to condemn South Africa and urged it to stick to its nonaligned foreign policy.
“I am gravely concerned South Africa is forcing Taiwan to move its liaison office out of Pretoria – a clear result of Chinese Communist Party coercion and brazen interference in the affairs of other nations.
‘Chinese Communist Party coercion and brazen interference’
“I call on South Africa and Minister Ronald Lamola to reverse this misguided action, re-evaluate their relationship with the CCP and return to a true stance of non-alignment.” McCaull said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.
Senate foreign relations committee ranking member, Senator Jim Risch, also weighed in.
“South Africa undermines US interests by surrendering its sovereignty to China and punishing #Taiwan, while praising Putin’s corrupt regime at the anti-West Brics summit. Why does the Biden administration refuse to review its policy towards a #SouthAfrica that is hostile to the US,” Risch said.
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