U.S. urges 'engagement' with Taiwan amid South Africa office dispute

Washington, Oct. 23 (CNA) The U.S. State Department on Wednesday said it encourages countries to "expand engagement" with Taiwan, as Taipei faces an approaching deadline from South Africa to move its representative office out of the country's capital, Pretoria, due to Chinese pressure.

Asked about the office dispute, a U.S. State Department spokesperson referred CNA to Taipei and Pretoria for comment.

"But I want to emphasize that we encourage all countries to expand engagement with Taiwan," the official said.

"Taiwan is a reliable, likeminded and democratic partner, and its partnerships around the world provide significant and sustainable benefits to the citizens of those countries."

The U.S. official's comments came after South Africa's government demanded on Oct. 7 that Taiwan relocate its representative office to outside the capital by Oct. 30, or else face its forced closure.

Taipei believes that Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory despite having never controlled it, pressured Pretoria to make Taiwan move its office out of the capital city.

Taiwan has so far refused to move the office, and urged South Africa to reconsider its position. It is also reportedly preparing countermeasures against Pretoria in the event that those efforts fail.

In the U.S., Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn this week called on the State Department to take a tougher stance with Pretoria to prevent the forced relocation of Taiwan's office.

The U.S. should make it clear that "there will be consequences if South Africa works with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to bully Taiwan, including the removal of South Africa from the AGOA trade program," Blackburn said, referring to a program that allows countries in sub-Saharan Africa to export products tariff-free to the U.S.

In remarks on Monday, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) accused the South African government of violating an agreement it signed with Taipei in 1997.

The agreement, made after South Africa announced its intention in December 1996 to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC), stipulates that Taiwan will continue to operate a liaison office in Pretoria.

Lin alleged that South Africa first asked Taipei to relocate its office in Pretoria last year, following a visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) for the 2023 BRICS summit.

In April, South Africa made an official request that the office move, before sending an ultimatum on Oct. 7, calling the issue "non-negotiable," Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

A similar situation occurred in 2017, when Nigeria's government ordered Taiwan to move its office outside the capital Abuja, change its name, and reduce the size of its staff, reportedly due to pressure from China.

In response, Taiwan demanded that Nigeria move its Trade Office out of Taipei.