South Africa knows its real friend between China and Taiwan

An updated message on the department of international relations and cooperation’s (Dirco) website, may have seemed a mere note for some – but it is significant in the sphere of diplomatic and global affairs.

Against a background of Taiwan not enjoying any diplomatic status in the post-democratic South Africa, where it is regarded as part of China, Dirco made things clear by renaming the “Taipei Liaison Office” to the “Taipei Commercial Office”.

The move underscores SA’s resolve to bring certainty on the status of Taiwan in the country – a Taipei office solely dealing with commercial matters and not political issues.

“The change is consistent with South Africa subscribing to a one-China policy.

As stated previously, South Africa will not be bullied by anyone,” said spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.

With the relocation of the Taipei office from Pretoria to Johannesburg expected to be completed by the end of the month, the move reflects a firm resolve by SA on who we have real ties with – China.

While maintaining strong diplomatic relations with the world, SA knows its real friends.

Real friends or comrades in a revolutionary sense are countries who backed you when you laboured under the yoke of apartheid.

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These have included China, Cuba, Russia and the then German Democratic Republic – countries that gave sanctuary and military training to banned liberation movements.

In that era, Taipei’s flirting with apartheid Pretoria cannot be forgotten.

Former US president Ronald Reagan also preferred to maintain “a constructive engagement” with SA.

This was a painful era for the majority of South Africans, whose leaders like Nelson Mandela, Raymond Mhlaba, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, and Ahmed Kathrada, languished in prison.

Then British prime minister Margaret Thatcher once referred to freedom fighters as “terrorists”.

It was an epoch when almost all Western countries preferred to close their eyes to the apartheid genocide.

During the dark days of apartheid, only the likes of chair Mao Zedong of China, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Leonid Brezhnev of Russia, former Swedish prime minister Olof Palme and former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda were prepared to give support to South Africa’s liberation struggle.

In recent years, South Africa has demonstrated fairness and impartiality on critical international issues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Ukraine crisis.

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This has reinforced our image as a principled nation, united and determined to foster global peace and stability – at times facing pressure from the West.

The relocation of the Taiwan office from Pretoria should be seen as a lawful and justified move by South Africa – not meant to unfairly punish Taipei, as some want us to believe.

Upholding its proud tradition of sovereignty, South Africa is expected to proceed decisively with the planned relocation of the Taipei office – with or without external pressure.

It should be noted that Taiwan has persistently attempted to delay the relocation.

Its faithful friends – ranging from the Oppenheimer-funded Brenthurst Foundation in Johannesburg and now US secretary Marco Rubio, a vehement Beijing hater – have tossed barbs at Pretoria.

But all this has come to nil.

Fundamentally, Taiwan has been exploiting South Africa’s goodwill as a bargaining tool for its own interests, disregarding South Africa’s legitimate demands and showing blatant disrespect for its sovereignty.

Such actions are intolerable to any sovereign nation.

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The South African government should take appropriate measures to counter these deliberate infringements on its soil.