Beijing has labelled Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s surprise visit to eSwatini, the island’s sole African ally, a political “stunt”. In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, Lai said he arrived earlier in the day. The eSwatini government also confirmed his arrival on its own Facebook page.

Taiwan's opposition parties voted to cut President Lai Ching-te's defense budget proposal, defying warnings from the United States that increased military spending is essential to deter Chinese military pressure. The vote reflects deep domestic political divisions over defense spending at a critical moment in cross-strait relations.