Taiwan’s president visits Eswatini as China escalates rhetoric

Sunday 03 May 2026 - 09:45

Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te has begun an official visit to Eswatini, Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, in a trip that highlights the island’s fragile international recognition and rising tensions with China.

The visit had originally been scheduled for late April but was postponed after Taiwan reported unexpected flight permit withdrawals by several countries, which Taipei attributed to diplomatic pressure from China. The rescheduled trip was eventually carried out under heightened security planning.

Eswatini remains one of the few countries that still officially recognizes Taiwan rather than the People’s Republic of China. The kingdom established diplomatic ties with Taipei decades ago and has maintained them despite significant international pressure.

During his visit, President Lai emphasized the long-standing relationship between the two sides and reaffirmed Taiwan’s desire to engage more actively with the global community. He stated that Taiwan’s 23 million people have the right to international participation and should not be isolated from global affairs.

The trip also includes discussions on development projects supported by Taiwanese funding, including infrastructure and hospitality facilities near the capital. These initiatives are part of broader cooperation programs aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.

In response, China’s Foreign Ministry strongly criticized the visit, accusing the Taiwanese leader of political provocation and attempting to undermine the “one China” principle. Beijing routinely opposes any official contact between Taiwan and foreign governments and continues to consider the island part of its territory.

Chinese officials used unusually harsh language, portraying the visit as politically insignificant and reaffirming that Taiwan’s diplomatic efforts would ultimately fail. Beijing has not ruled out the use of force to assert control over the island.

Despite external pressure, Taiwan continues to maintain limited but symbolic diplomatic ties with a small number of countries, with Eswatini remaining its last official partner in Africa.