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

storyp1> JOHANNESBURG, Oct 18 (Reuters) South Africa's federal government stated on Friday that it had actually asked Taiwan to move its de facto embassy out of the capital Pretoria, while Taiwan accused it of acquiescing pressure from China.

South Africa rejected this characterization and said the move was standard diplomatic practice, given that it severed political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1997.

The Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria will be rebranded as a Trade Workplace and relocated to industrial capital Johannesburg, said South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

Relocating what will be rebranded as Trade Workplaces both in Taipei and in Johannesburg ... will be a true reflection of the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of the relationship between the Republic of South Africa and Taiwan, it stated in a statement, including it had actually given the workplace 6 months to move.

China is South Africa's biggest trading partner globally and one with which it is wanting to expand cooperation in areas such as renewable energy.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said that warming relations in between South Africa and China were posturing a challenge for its own friendly relationship with South Africa.

If the South African federal government still insists on submitting to China and changing the status quo ... the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will ... research study and develop all possible reactions in order to secure the sovereignty and self-respect of our country, it stated in a declaration.

Taiwan, which China declares as its own territory with no right to state-to-state relations, has official ties with just a dozen countries, almost all small, less developed countries.

Taiwan's federal government rejects China's sovereignty claims and says Beijing has no right to represent or promote the island on the worldwide phase

China welcomed the relocation.

We value South Africa's right decision to relocate the Taipei Intermediary Workplace in South Africa out of Pretoria, the administrative capital, stated China's Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.


(source: Reuters)