South Africa asks Taiwan to move its de facto embassy from Pretoria

South Africa's government said on Friday it has asked Taiwan to move its de facto embassy out of the capital Pretoria, while Taiwan accused it of bowing to pressure from China.

South Africa rejected this characterisation, however, saying the move was standard diplomatic practice, given it severed political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1997.

The Taipei liaison office in Pretoria will be rebranded as a trade office and move to the commercial capital Johannesburg, said the department of international relations and co-operation.

“Relocating what will be rebranded as trade offices 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,” it said,, adding it had given the office six months to move.

China is South Africa's largest trading partner globally and one with which it is looking to expand co-operation in areas such as renewable energy.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said warming relations between South Africa and China are posing a challenge for its own friendly relationship with South Africa.

“If the South African government still insists on submitting to China and changing the status quo, the ministry of foreign affairs will study and formulate all possible responses to safeguard the sovereignty and dignity of our country,” it said.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory with no right to state-to-state relations, has formal ties with only a dozen countries, almost all small, less developed nations.

Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty claims and says Beijing has no right to represent or speak for the island on the international stage

China welcomed the move.

“We appreciate South Africa's decision to relocate the Taipei liaison office out of Pretoria, the administrative capital,” said China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.