TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Pressure from China is prompting South Africa to downgrade ties with Taiwan and relocate its representative office, leaving Taiwan’s representative Oliver Liao (廖文哲) to conclude, “We are not welcome here.”

In April last year, South Africa formally notified Taiwan that its office must move from the capital, Pretoria, to the financial hub of Johannesburg, ending Taiwan’s half-century presence in the capital, per CNA. After Taiwan refused, the South African government, whose largest trading partner is China, responded bureaucratically by altering the office information on its official website, per Bloomberg.

The website removed all mentions of Liao and instead posted the names of other Taiwanese staff. “They put on some names of our staff who have already passed away,” Liao said in a Bloomberg interview published Sunday.

Even as Taiwan’s role in key global supply chains has grown amid the AI boom, many countries without formal diplomatic ties continue to side with China, taking a more distant approach toward Taiwan. Liao said that, except for Nigeria in 2017, Taiwan has been allowed to maintain representative offices in the capitals of other countries, making this row in South Africa particularly significant.

Speaking at his official residence in Pretoria, Liao expressed concern over China’s high-pressure tactics. Regarding South Africa’s relocation demand, he said, “Why bother to make such a move? I think it’s very clear. Common sense tells us who’s behind the scenes.”

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation did not respond to requests for comment. Its minister, Ronald Lamola, said only that the move complies with international practice.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun did not directly comment on whether Beijing pressured South Africa. He instead praised the South African government for adhering to the “One China” principle, which claims China and Taiwan are one nation under Beijing’s rule.

The dispute dates back to early 2023, when South Africa’s foreign ministry unilaterally annulled a 1997 agreement signed by former President Nelson Mandela with Taiwan. Taipei maintains that the deal allowed its office to retain its original name and location in the capital.

South Africa then demanded that Taiwan downgrade its office and move to Johannesburg, 56 kilometers from Pretoria, where Taiwan already operates a small trade office. Taiwan has repeatedly refused to comply.

The original October 2024 relocation deadline was extended to March this year. On July 21, South Africa officially changed the name of the office to the “Taipei Commercial Office,” retroactive to March 31.

For South Africa, the most industrialized country in Africa, and other emerging economies, maintaining strong ties with China often comes at Taiwan’s expense. The Trump administration has imposed a 30% tariff on South African exports, the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, pushing South Africa to rely more heavily on China.

In August, South Africa’s agriculture ministry announced that expanding exports to China was a top priority. However, South Africa’s relationship with China now goes far beyond trade.

Since joining the BRICS group co-founded by China in 2010, bilateral relations have deepened. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg this November, marking his fifth visit to South Africa, and the two countries’ navies have held joint exercises.

As Xi’s visit approaches, pressure on Liao to relocate has intensified. “The current situation has already created a sense of not only instability, but also frustration,” he said.

“It’s not healthy and it’s not encouraging at all because the purpose of our presence here is to promote friendship and collaboration, but everything has come to a total halt,” said Liao. The relationship, initially built during South Africa’s apartheid era when both countries faced international isolation, is now under threat.

Since the late 1970s, waves of Taiwanese immigrants have arrived in South Africa, benefiting from incentives to attract investment. In the early days, these immigrants were granted “honorary White” status, exempting them from apartheid laws.

Taipei Liaison Office data show that about 450 Taiwanese firms operate in South Africa, with total investments of around US$2 billion (NT$61 billion). Over 100 South African students receive scholarships each year to study in Taiwan.

Nevertheless, the Taiwanese community has shrunk from 50,000 in 1998 to an estimated 8,000 now. Trade has also declined: South Africa exports coal and corn to Taiwan, while Taiwan exports smartphones and chemicals.

Bilateral trade totaled US$2.3 billion in 2022 but dropped by more than a third in 2024.

“We are not welcome here,” Liao said. He added that if Taiwanese “don’t feel that they’re welcome and cherished here,” they leave.