Taiwan President Arrives in Eswatini

Taiwan's president arrived in Eswatini on Saturday, marking the completion of a trip delayed by challenges in securing overflight permissions. The visit, originally planned for April 22, was postponed after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar withdrew clearances for the flight.

Taiwanese officials stated that these decisions resulted from strong pressure by Chinese authorities, including economic coercion. Eswatini remains Taiwan's sole diplomatic ally in Africa, a landlocked nation with about 1.2 million people. The president's arrival was announced via social media, emphasizing the intent to affirm longstanding friendship and deepen cooperation in economic, agricultural, cultural, and educational areas.

The trip was facilitated through revised arrangements by diplomatic and national security teams.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the visit as a laughable stunt and an undignified act, stating that the president was smuggled out of Taiwan. The ministry asserted that the visit would not change Taiwan's status as part of China and urged Eswatini to cease supporting Taiwan independence separatists.

China has not ruled out using force to control Taiwan and actively works to isolate it diplomatically.

“We urge Eswatini and some other individual countries to see where the arc of history bends and stop serving as the prop of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists.”

Eswatini has faced consequences for its ties with Taiwan, including exclusion from tariff-free access to China's market. In 2023, Taiwan's previous president visited Eswatini, the most recent such trip before the current one.