According to Axiz CEO Craig Brunsden , there are regional supply chain consequences to consider, too.
"I seriously doubt Taiwan would impose an export ban on South Africa," Brunsden said in response to a query by TechCentral. "South Africa would have to be internationally embargoed or there would have to a strong bilateral reason why to stop trade with South Africa. Most cargo for Southern Africa comes via South Africa anyway, so any move would affect the whole region."
According to a News24 report on Wednesday, the Taiwanese government - home to the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductor chips, TSMC - is mulling the possibility of imposing a chip curb on South Africa after the government renamed and downgraded the Taiwanese mission offices in Pretoria and Cape Town.
"In response to the South African government's brutal actions, the ministry of foreign affairs, based on the principle of safeguarding sovereignty and national dignity, is currently discussing countermeasures with relevant ministries and agencies, including restricting chip exports to South Africa," said Phillipe Yen, director-general of West Asian and African affairs in Taiwan's foreign affairs ministry.
"Not that much comes out of Taiwan as a finished product. The way the PC market works is all the semiconductors are sold to assembly factories in Indonesia or China, so that is not a high risk at the moment," said Brunsden.