China has formally welcomed South Africa’s latest diplomatic move to withdraw official recognition of Taiwan’s representative office in Pretoria and request its relocation to Johannesburg, praising the actions as fully aligned with the One‑China principle and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.
In a notice issued by the South African government, the Taipei Liaison Office in Cape Town is to be rebranded as a “Taipei Commercial Office”, while the Pretoria office, historically its de facto embassy will no longer be officially recognized and is expected to move to Johannesburg. These changes reinforce the non-political nature of Taiwan’s unofficial presence in the country and signal a recalibrated diplomatic posture.
Speaking from Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun described South Africa’s sovereign decision as a “positive step in upholding the One‑China principle” consistent with international norms and long-standing United Nations consensus. Guo further noted that these measures underscore the depth of the China–South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership, and affirmed China’s commitment to mutual support on issues involving each other’s core interests.
China’s official appreciation also builds on commentary from Africa China Review, which characterized South Africa’s actions as a diplomatic alignment that reinforces Beijing’s position in Africa and upholds international diplomatic norms in support of the PRC.
