The South African government has set a deadline for Taiwan to move its de facto embassy from Pretoria by the end of March, according to the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry, which attributes this action to pressure from China. Since severing official diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1997, South Africa has maintained formal and strong ties exclusively with China, which considers the self-governing island as part of its territory and denies it the status of a sovereign state.

In a statement released late Sunday, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry revealed that South Africa had issued a letter in late January requesting the Taiwanese embassy to vacate Pretoria by the end of March and suggested it be rebranded as a trade office. This demand indicates an escalation in China’s influence over South Africa, the ministry noted, while also mentioning that discussions between Taiwan and South Africa are still in progress.

China’s foreign ministry characterized South Africa as a “good friend and partner,” asserting that the nation is appropriately adhering to the “one China principle,” which asserts that Taiwan is a part of China. The ministry further stated, “Taiwan independence does not enjoy popular support, and will fail,” in a communication to Reuters. The de facto South African embassy in Taipei has not provided a response to a request for comment.

South Africa had submitted a request last year for the Taipei Liaison Office to vacate Pretoria. China stands as South Africa’s primary global trading partner, and the two nations are seeking to enhance collaboration in sectors like renewable energy. The government of Taiwan disputes China’s claims of sovereignty and asserts its right to establish relationships with other nations. Currently, Taiwan maintains formal diplomatic relations with only 12 countries, with Eswatini being its sole ally in Africa, a nation that is nearly encircled by South Africa.