Taiwan’s Misguided Effort to Undermine South Africa’s Sovereignty

By Michael Andisile Mayalo

On March 16, Taiwan’s “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” issued a statement accusing South Africa of violating international norms following the country’s decision to relocate Taiwan’s office. Rather than offering a thoughtful critique, Taiwan has chosen to distort the issue for its own political advantage. By linking South Africa’s sovereign actions regarding Taiwan to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the United States, Taiwan is attempting to fabricate a false narrative that undermines South Africa’s autonomy. 

South Africa’s decision to relocate Taiwan’s office is firmly grounded in its longstanding commitment to the “One-China Policy,” a policy that has been recognised and adhered to by the vast majority of the global community, including South Africa itself. This policy acknowledges the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the legitimate government of China and has served as the foundation of international diplomatic relations for decades. South Africa’s actions are entirely consistent with this global consensus, and they should be respected as an exercise of its sovereign right to conduct foreign policy in line with established international norms.

However, Taiwan seems intent on distracting from this core issue by invoking an entirely unrelated diplomatic situation—the recent expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the United States. While this diplomatic event is significant in its own right, it has no bearing on South Africa’s position on Taiwan. Taiwan’s statement, nonetheless, seeks to draw an artificial connection between these two unrelated matters, suggesting that South Africa’s actions regarding Taiwan are somehow linked to broader geopolitical tensions with the US This move is misleading and a deliberate attempt to deflect attention from the legitimate diplomatic decision South Africa made to relocate Taiwan’s office.

By introducing this extraneous issue into the conversation, Taiwan is clouding the real issue at hand: South Africa’s sovereign right to determine its foreign policy in accordance with international law and its national interests. The expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador from the US is a separate matter entirely and should not be conflated with South Africa’s adherence to the “One-China Policy.” Taiwan’s attempt to use this unrelated event as a backdrop for its criticisms of South Africa is an opportunistic distraction that only serves to create confusion and mislead the international community.

This tactic of deflecting attention from the core issue is not only disingenuous but also an insult to South Africa’s sovereignty. As a sovereign nation, South Africa has the right to manage its diplomatic relations and to determine its stance on Taiwan according to its own principles. It is not Taiwan’s place to dictate or undermine the legitimacy of South Africa’s decisions, particularly when those decisions align with the widely accepted framework of international law. Taiwan’s continued criticism of countries like South Africa for adhering to the “One-China Policy” reveals its growing frustration with the global consensus on Taiwan’s status. Rather than confronting the reality of this consensus, Taiwan chooses to attack countries that are simply following established diplomatic norms.

The real issue here is not Taiwan’s grievances with South Africa’s position on Taiwan, but Taiwan’s attempt to manipulate international events for its own political benefit. By using the US-South Africa diplomatic fallout as a distraction, Taiwan is undermining South Africa’s right to conduct its foreign policy as it sees fit. South Africa’s decision to relocate Taiwan’s office is rooted in its commitment to the “One-China Policy,” and there is no legitimate reason to question this decision or link it to other unrelated diplomatic issues.

Countries like South Africa that adhere to the “One-China Policy” are upholding international norms, and Taiwan’s continued attempts to challenge this consensus only serve to damage its credibility.

The real issue is not Taiwan’s grievances with South Africa’s stance on Taiwan but its refusal to accept the global consensus on the “One-China Policy.” In doing so, Taiwan undermines the diplomatic sovereignty of countries like South Africa that are acting in accordance with this global framework. By engaging in these distraction tactics, Taiwan is compromising the very principles of international law it claims to uphold.

Taiwan must immediately retract its statement and cease using unrelated geopolitical tensions to divert attention from the core issue: South Africa’s commitment to the “One-China Policy”. The international community should hold Taiwan accountable for this baseless and politically manipulative rhetoric, ensuring that it stops exploiting diplomatic tensions for its own political advantage. Taiwan’s actions not only damage its own credibility but also undermine the integrity of international norms. The time has come for Taiwan to recognise the sovereignty of countries like South Africa and engage in a manner that is constructive and respectful of international norms. 

* Mayalo is an independent writer, analyst, and commentator.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.