Dear Editor
A decision by Taiwan to now formally restrict the export of its world-leading silicone semiconductor chips to South Africa, following the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s (DIRCO) decision to downgrade the status of the Taiwanese Foreign Mission irrationally, will decimate South Africa’s manufacturing industry, compromise our industrial competitiveness, and shed tens of thousands of jobs in an already strained international trade environment.
Taiwan’s dominance in the production and supply of silicone semiconductor chips makes them the preferred component for many of South Africa’s largest manufacturers, especially in the automotive, information technology, and artificial intelligence sectors. Restricted access to these crucial industrial components, as a direct result of DIRCO’s reckless foreign policy under the ANC and Minister Ronald Lamola, now directly threatens South Africa’s economy.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Minister Lamola to urgently repeal the Government Gazette of 21 July 2025, which removed formal recognition of the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria, as this decision is in direct conflict with South Africa’s national interest.
A firm commitment to our constitutional values and economic development should guide our national interest. Considering the decrease in trade with Taiwan in recent years, the Minister should have attempted to boost our trading relationship rather than further undermine it.
Minister Lamola’s assertion that the decision to downgrade the status of the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria is in line with international consensus is patently false. No such convention exists. Even among fellow BRICS member states such as Brazil and India, which understand the crucial role of trade with Taiwan for growth and manufacturing, Taiwanese Foreign Missions enjoy representation in the capital cities of Brasília and New Delhi, respectively.
As an emerging economy, South Africa must deepen existing trading relationships and identify new opportunities to expand market access. South Africa’s recognition of the One China Policy should not come at the expense of diversified trade, economic growth, and jobs. South Africa is a sovereign nation that must pursue its national interest independent of external influence.
By pursuing a foreign policy that forces us to choose trading partners, DIRCO is undermining South Africa’s economic growth agenda and placing South African jobs on the line. There is no justifiable reason for South Africa to treat key trading partners with such contempt. South Africa’s foreign policy must at all times serve our national interest and not be subject to the ANC’s whims and outdated worldview.
Regards
Ryan Smith MP
DA Spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation