Parliament, Wednesday, 14 October 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation on Wednesday noted the government’s decision to recognise the Taipei Commercial Office in Johannesburg, rather than Pretoria, as the office through which consular services and non-diplomatic and non-political engagements with Taiwan are conducted.
The committee recognised that South Africa’s relations with Taiwan are conducted within the framework of the One China Policy. Following the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1998, South Africa ceased political and diplomatic relations with Taiwan, while retaining non-political and non-diplomatic engagement in areas such as trade, investment, tourism, science, education and consular services.
The committee is of the view that locating the office in Johannesburg, South Africa’s principal commercial centre, is consistent with the non-diplomatic and non-political character of the relationship and the office’s recognised commercial, consular and people-to-people functions. The relocation should not be understood as ending constructive engagement with Taiwan, but as aligning the form and location of that engagement with South Africa’s foreign policy position.
The committee further notes the relevant principles contained in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963. Article 4 provides that a consular post may be established in the territory of a receiving State only with that State’s consent and that the seat of a consular post is subject to the receiving State’s approval. These principles affirm the receiving State’s authority to determine whether, where and on what basis a foreign consular presence may operate. In this matter, they must be considered together with the distinctive non-diplomatic basis of South Africa’s relations with Taiwan, applicable domestic law and existing arrangements.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Supra Mahumapelo, said that South Africa’s sovereignty and its settled foreign-policy commitments must be respected. “At the same time, implementation of the relocation decision must be lawful, orderly and constructive, with due regard to domestic legal processes, property rights and the need to avoid disruption to legitimate consular and commercial services.” Mr Mahumapelo, having visited the Taipei Commercial Office in Pretoria, found that the establishment was still operating in contravention of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
The committee calls on the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to continue engaging the relevant parties and to report to Parliament on progress in finalising the relocation, resolving the signage and status issues, and concluding an appropriate framework for future engagement. The committee will continue to exercise oversight to ensure that the matter is managed consistently with international law, South Africa’s national interests and the One China Policy.
The committee supports continuing mutually beneficial, non-political, and non-diplomatic cooperation with Taiwan, while fully upholding South Africa’s diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF MR SUPRA MAHUMAPELO, CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION.
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