South Africa asks Taiwan to move its de facto embassy from Pretoria

South Africa's government said on Friday that it had asked Taiwan to relocate its de facto embassy out of the capital Pretoria, while Taiwan accused it of bowing to pressure from China. South Africa rejected this characterization and said the move was standard diplomatic practice, given that it severed political and diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1997. The Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria will be rebranded as a Trade Office and moved to commercial capital Johannesburg, said South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation.