South Africa bows to Chinese pressure to move Taiwan office, analysts say

(VOA) — South Africa’s decision to further downgrade relations with Taiwan, comes as the dominant political party, the African National Congress, or ANC, strives to reassure longtime ally Beijing after the formation of a coalition government, analysts tell VOA.

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation confirmed last week it had asked Taiwan to move its unofficial embassy – called the Taipei Liaison Office – out of the capital Pretoria.

In a statement, the department said the liaison office would be rebranded as a trade office and moved to the economic hub of Johannesburg, which would “be a true reflection of the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of the relationship between the Republic of South Africa and Taiwan.”