Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung accused China of playing “little tricks” in South Africa as part of a campaign to force Taipei to move its representative office from the capital Pretoria to the commercial hub in Johannesburg.
Lin’s comments on Friday followed South Africa’s foreign ministry, known as DIRCO, unilaterally changing the location of the office from Pretoria to Johannesburg, along with the description of Taiwan’s office in the country from a “foreign representation in South Africa” to an “international organization.”
The website domain for Taiwan’s office in SA was also switched from @mofa.gov.tw to @telkomsa.net, a South African telecom company.
The Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper Global Times commended the South African government for the increased pressure that it is putting on Taiwan’s representatives in the country.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely doing this at China’s request, which is a potentially very risky move given South Africa’s strained ties with the United States. Taiwan is a very sensitive issue among conservatives in Washington, D.C., who will likely see what’s happening as yet another example of South Africa acting in opposition to U.S. geopolitical interests.
