Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te completed a rescheduled trip to Eswatini, Taiwan’s only remaining diplomatic ally in Africa after “intense pressure” from Beijing.
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- After an initial April visit was cancelled due to several African nations revoking overflight permits, under pressure from Beijing, President Lai Ching-te completed a rescheduled secret trip to Eswatini, Taiwan’s only remaining diplomatic ally in Africa.
- The trip was timed to mark the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s reign.
- Beijing condemned the visit, calling it a “stowaway-style escape farce” and reaffirming its position that Taiwan is part of China.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Saturday announced his arrival in Eswatini – Taipei’s only diplomatic ally in Africa – after an earlier trip was cancelled when several countries revoked overflight permits.
Those various African nations withdrew overflight permission following “intense pressure” from Beijing, one of Lai’s closest advisers said at the time, forcing cancellation of the initially scheduled April 22-26 trip.
Lai on Saturday said only that his initial visit had been “suspended due to unexpected external forces”.
But “after days of secret arrangements by the diplomatic and national security teams, we arrived successfully today (Saturday),” he said in a Facebook post.
“I hope this trip will contribute to even deeper friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini, thanks to closer economic, agricultural, cultural and educational links, as well as promote Taiwan’s international cooperation,” he added.
READ | Taiwanese president blames China as he cancels Eswatini visit after flight clearance denied
In response to Lai’s trip, China’s foreign ministry on Saturday accused him of making a “stowaway-style escape farce” that made him “an international laughing stock”.
“No matter how the DPP authorities collude with external forces … it is all in vain and cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China,” an unnamed spokesperson said in a statement on the ministry’s website, referring to Lai’s party.
“We urge Eswatini and other individual countries to see clearly the general trend of history … and not pull chestnuts out of the fire for a handful of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists,” the statement said.
Kingdom of Swaziland’s King Mswati III addresses the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York.
Mary Altaffer-Pool/Getty Images
Eswatini, a small enclave kingdom formerly known as Swaziland, is one of 12 countries that still recognise Taiwan. China has persuaded other nations to break diplomatic ties with the self-ruled island, which it claims as part of its territory.
Lai was due in Eswatini in April for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne, but cancelled the visit after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked overflight permissions, “unexpectedly and without notice”, according to his office.
