Taipei, Feb. 11 (CNA) Vice President Annette Lu on Tuesday urged South Africa to refrain from publicly opposing the Republic of China's bid to join the United Nations. "I feel sad that South Africa has consistently spoken against our U.N. bid at the U.N. Steering Committee meetings in recent years, " Lu said while meeting with South African Minister of the Interior Mangosuthu G. Buthelezi, who arrived in Taipei Monday for a visit. "If South Africa cannot support our U.N. bid, I'm hopeful that it can at least maintain neutrality and refrain from publicly speaking against our pursuit," Lu said, adding that the world should not collaborate with Beijing to suppress Taiwan's campaign for U.N. representation.
Lu asked Buthelezi to speak for Taiwan's cause in the South African government.
Quoting the Western proverb that "a friend in need is a friend indeed," Lu said the ROC used to be South Africa's staunch ally when South Africa was rebuffed by most of the rest of the world due to its policy of apartheid.
It is regrettable that South Africa cut diplomatic ties with its 30-year-old ally Taiwan after recognizing the People's Republic of China, Lu said.
Worse still, Lu said, the South African government denied her a visa to attend a world meeting of women's affairs in 2000 and rejected a request for President Chen Shui-bian to make a brief stop for his plane to refuel last year. "I feel sad that South Africa turned down its old friend's simple requests just out of fear of offending Beijing," she said.
Nevertheless, Lu said, the ROC government and people still treat South Africa as a good friend. There are still 600 Taiwan-financed companies in manufacturing and service industries in South Africa, with a total capital investment of US$1.5 billion, Lu said, adding that Taiwan investors have contributed much to South Africa's economic development. "It is our hope that relations between our two countries can be upgraded through exchanges of visits by senior officials as well as through cultural and civilian exchanges," Lu said.
For his part, Buthelezi said he is impressed by Taiwan's progress in economic development and political democratization in recent years. This is his fourth visit to the island.
Buthelezi briefed Lu on South Africa's development over the past decade and assured Lu that he will do his utmost to promote Taiwan-South African relations and cooperation in various fields.