Diplomatic Dispute Arises Over South Africa Office Name Change

Taiwanese Authorities Protest Name Alteration and Demand Respect for Agreements

A diplomatic disagreement has emerged following a recent alteration in the designation of a Taiwanese representative office in South Africa. The name of the office, previously known as the "Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa," has been changed to the "Taipei Commercial Office" on the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation's (DIRCO) website.

In a related development, the South African government had previously requested the relocation of the Taipei Liaison Office, considered Taiwan's de facto embassy, from Pretoria. While discussions were ongoing, the South African government requested that the office be relocated by the end of this month.

The recent name change on the DIRCO website, which now lists the office under "international organizations represented in South Africa," has prompted official concern. Furthermore, the website contains outdated information regarding the office's representative.

The Taiwanese representative office in South Africa's official website maintains the original name.

Following DIRCO's request for relocation, Taiwanese authorities convened an emergency meeting and initiated communication with DIRCO, emphasizing principles of reciprocity and respect. Discussions have been ongoing regarding potential revisions to the legal framework governing bilateral relations. The Taiwanese office has urged DIRCO to discuss the official negotiation location, time, delegation, and agreement signing.

However, Taiwanese officials state that the name change represents a breach of a 1997 agreement between the two nations.

Formal protests have been lodged with the Liaison Office of South Africa and DIRCO, addressing the name alteration and other related concerns.

The use of UN Resolution 2758 and the "one China" policy as justification for the actions is deemed unreasonable, unjustifiable, and unacceptable. It is argued that South Africa's adherence to Beijing's efforts to limit Taiwan contradicts the principles of democracy and freedom it champions. Authorities have demanded respect for the 1997 agreement and have urged South Africa to engage in discussions to resolve the issue before taking any actions that might violate existing agreements.