S.A. Minister heads for Asia

Press, 3 September 1986, Page 8

S.A. Minister heads for Asia

NZPA-Reuter Cape Town The South African Foreign Minister, Mr Roelof Botha, would begin a tour of Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong later this week, a Government spokesman said yesterday. Japan’s Foreign Ministry announced at the week-end that Mr Botha was due in Tokyo today on a private visit. A South African Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Mr Botha

would first visit Japan and then go to Taiwan and Hong Kong. Trade links with the Far East are becoming increasingly important to South Africa because of mounting pressure in the United States and Europe for international sanctions against Pretoria. ;

South Africa and Taiwan held talks yesterday on ways to boost trade as Pretoria, its economy threatened by

sanctions, looks to its only political ally in Asia to help market its minerals. The Ministerial talks are scheduled to last for four days and will cover trade, scientific and technological co-operation, and communications. Taiwan is the only Asian country that maintains diplomatic relations with South Africa.

Taipei officials said South Africa has proposed shipping minerals to

Taiwan for processing and re-export. Earlier this year a Government trade magazine said Pretoria and Taipei had agreed to co-operate in marketing strategic minerals from South 1 Africa such as titanium, silicon, and super alloys, as well as synthetic diamonds.

It said Taipei would serve as a main marketing and distribution centre in the Pacific basin.