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The Department of International Relations on Friday dismissed suggestions that the request to move Taiwan's office from Pretoria to Johannesburg was made under Chinese pressure.
The government has given Taipei six months to move its offices from the diplomatic capital to Johannesburg. That period ends at the end of this month.
Ministry spokesman Crispin Phiri said the request was “standard diplomatic practice.”
South Africa severed political and diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1997.
“While relocating offices to be rebranded as trade offices in Taipei and Johannesburg is standard diplomatic practice, this reflects the non-political and non-diplomatic nature of South Africa’s relationship with Taiwan. It will be a true reflection,” Phiri said in a statement.
He added that Johannesburg, as the country's economic hub, is the right place to locate Taiwan's trade office.
“This is also consistent with standard diplomatic practice that the capital is the seat of foreign embassies and high commissions,” he said.
Mr Phiri said it was unusual for Taiwan to continue to have a presence in Pretoria and said several rounds of talks had been held with the Taipei Liaison Office (TLO) to rectify this.
“The TLO was given a reasonable six months to take action. The same was communicated by the South African representative in the region through the South African Liaison Office in Taipei.”
Mr Phiri said reports that the government was acting under duress were a “misrepresentation” of the facts, but said the Democratic Alliance (DA) believed this was in fact the case. .
The party's international relations spokesperson, Emma Powell, said: “External actors are putting pressure on Pretoria against the backdrop of both broader geopolitical tensions and the newly formed Government of National Unity (GNU). That is clear.”
He added that the government should resist being dictated to if it is to demonstrate its commitment to the oft-stated principle of non-alignment.
Powell noted that South Africa exports significant goods to Taiwan each year and warned against backing down on a long-standing agreement with Taipei regarding Taiwan's presence there.
“It is important that Taiwan continues to enjoy a consulate and trade representative on the same basis as it has since 1998,” she said.
Powell said he will demand that the DA pursue GNU's arguments and reach a consensus decision.
“As the ANC no longer has a full majority, it is no longer free to unilaterally determine South Africa's foreign policy position without consulting its partners in government,” Powell said.
“If the national administration wishes to renegotiate the terms of this bilateral agreement, it must first seek agreement within the GNU.”
