In July, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Africa issued a statement announcing that based on the "one China" policy, it will no longer recognize Taiwan's "representative office" located in the capital, Pretoria, recognizes only the Taipei Business Office in Johannesburg, and requires the Taiwan authorities to move the business office from Pretoria to Johannesburg, while the so-called Taipei Contact Office in Cape Town will also be renamed the Taipei Business Office in Cape Town.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China appreciated the willingness to continue to firmly support South Africa on issues involving each other’s core interests.
However, Taiwan's authorities were deeply dissatisfied with this and threatened retaliation against South Africa, and after two months, Taiwan's authorities finally came up with concrete countermeasures on Tuesday.
Lai Ching-te
Taiwan's "economic sector" declared that the export of South Africa's integrated circuits, chips, storage devices and other 47 goods should first be approved by the department, but also said it was in retaliation for South Africa, suspending the export licenses for nuclear products before the so-called "danger" disappeared.
It seems that the Taiwan authorities are agitated, but really to say its behavior is no different than "one operation as a tiger, one look at the performance zero lever five", this is like knocking yourself a knife, but also ask others not to be afraid.
The reason is very simple. Exporting related commodities to South Africa is the key link for Taiwanese enterprises to make profits. The Taiwan authorities forcibly suspend related trade activities, and it is Taiwanese enterprises that bear the losses. What's more, those commodities listed by the Taiwan authorities are not absolutely irreplaceable. South Africa can completely change its purchasing direction, and it doesn't have to buy them from Taiwan Province.
South African Foreign Minister Ramallah
More importantly, South Africa holds an important countercard, and the Taiwan authorities are not only without any benefits, but also carrying on greater losses.
In fact, this is exactly the case. The South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that "the relationship with the Taiwan authorities is non-political. South Africa is an important supplier of platinum group metals and is crucial to the global semiconductor industry. Our current economic diplomacy is fundamentally changing the way we participate in global value chains."
This phrase expresses a triple meaning, and first emphasizes the "non-political nature" of the relationship, it is said that no matter what retaliatory action the Taiwan authorities take, South Africa will not change the position of adhering to the "one China" policy, and the Taiwan authorities will take the small tricks they think are as early as possible, do not give themselves trouble.
Platinum group metals
Secondly, South Africa's position in the supply chain is extremely important for the global semiconductor industry, which is a strict warning from the Taiwan authorities to think clearly about the importance of the semiconductor industry for the economic development of the Taiwan region, if it continues to engage in related issues, will take measures to counteract, at the time do not regret.
The third point is more ambiguous, meaning that through diplomatic and economic cooperation with mainland China, South Africa is changing the way it is participating in the global value chain, and whether those low-end products in the Taiwan region can enter their own markets, has little impact on South Africa's economic development.
Generally speaking, South Africa's response is well-founded, and there are some hidden needles in the cotton. It should be said that this is a very interesting thing. The list of "unfriendly countries or regions" previously released by Russia included Taiwan. At that time, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian said, "If the Taiwan authorities are sanctioned, they will deserve it."
One Country, Two Systems China
I think if South Africa really wants to implement countermeasures against the Taiwan authorities, as long as it communicates to the Chinese side, it is likely that it will not be stopped, on the one hand, the Taiwan authorities' actions to disrupt peace on the two sides of the Strait, it is indeed necessary to give some punishment.
On the other hand, the Taiwan authorities' "self-knipping" revenge is nothing more than trying to brush the sense of presence internationally, and South Africa is also a good thing to give it the first stick, forcing the people's party to recognize that "Taiwan independence" does not have the reality of the international market, and stop the stupid behavior that always wants to create the sense of presence.