Taiwan has imposed export restrictions on semiconductors to South Africa, demanding pre-approval for most chip shipments due to national security concerns.
This move highlights Taiwan’s willingness to use its market dominance in chips to exert pressure amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Taiwan sees South Africa’s demotion and relocation of Taiwan’s representative office from Pretoria to Johannesburg as politically motivated and influenced by Beijing’s expanding diplomatic sway in Africa.
Pre-approval required for chip shipments after diplomatic spat
Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs announced new export controls requiring prior government approval for 47 products, including integrated circuits, chips, memory components, and wafers exported to South Africa.
The ministry stated that South Africa’s downgrading and renaming of Taiwan’s offices “posed dangers to the protection of national security and public safety,” potentially harming Taiwan’s normal economic and trade activities.
Exporters now must seek permission before shipping many semiconductor products to South Africa, marking a rare instance of Taiwan leveraging its semiconductor dominance for political purposes.
Taiwan flexes economic influence amid diplomatic tensions
Taiwan holds a leading position in the global semiconductor supply chain, with companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. producing the most advanced chips in AI, automotive, and industrial sectors worldwide.
The export restrictions reflect Taiwan’s frustration with diplomatic marginalisation following South Africa’s closer alignment with China. South Africa first pressured Taiwan to relocate its mission shortly after a 2023 BRICS summit attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This recent tightening ahead of the 2025 G20 summit signals growing tensions in international tech trade intersecting with geopolitics.
This unprecedented action underscores how critical chip exports have become economically and as geopolitical leverage. It marks a test case in how Taiwan uses its tech industry strength in the face of shifting global alliances.