International Relations and Co-operation Minster Ronald Lamola. Picture: Leon Lestrade/Independent Newspapers
Pressure is piling on the government to take action against Taiwan for refusing to comply with a request to move its representative office in Pretoria to Johannesburg by the end of October.
The Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) previously said 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 South Africa and Taiwan.
However, the refusal by Taiwan to move its office did not augur well with the EFF and MK Party, prompting them to demand answers from International Relations and Co-operation Minster Ronald Lamola.
EFF MP Mothusi Kenneth Montwedi wrote to Lamola asking about the date the Taiwan trade office will relocate from Pretoria as its continued stay undermined the One China policy that the government subscribes to as the Taiwan office was never closed.
MK Party MP Nhlamulo Ndhlela enquired what steps Lamola will take concerning the refusal of the Taiwanese government to close their offices in Pretoria given that South Africa supported a One China policy.
In his response, Lamola said the South African government signed a memorandum of understanding and established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in January 1998. He also said its recognised that there was one China in the world and that the government of the People’s Republic of China was the sole legal representative of the whole of China as well as recognising China’s position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of it, including the regions of Tibet, Hong Kong and Macau.
Lamola said in further advancing the practical implementation of the One China Policy, the government through his department instructed the Taipei liaison office to relocate out of the capital, Pretoria to Johannesburg by October 30, 2024, as far back as December 2023 and April 2024.
“This aligns with diplomatic practice, wherein embassies and the high commission are located in the capital and the Taiwan liaison office will be positioned appropriately in South Africa's economic hub, with all other trade offices.”
While Taipei has not adhered to the deadline of October 30, the South African government’s decision regarding the relocation was non-negotiable and is going ahead as part of the non-diplomatic and non-political nature of relations with Taipei, he said.
“In the interim, the Dirco will implement certain administrative actions, in line with Dirco policies as drawn from the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, to ensure compliance with the instruction to relocate out of Pretoria,” he said.
The Taiwan liaison office had been given six months to relocate and several engagements had been held.
This had also been communicated via the South African Liaison Office in Taipei by South Africa’s representative to the territory.
Cape Times