Taiwan leader defies China after Eswatini trip and reasserts island's global role Taiwan’s President Lai Ching‑te returned from a three‑day visit to Eswatini declaring that state‑to‑state travel is a “basic right,” using the moment to push back against Chinese efforts to block his trip and to reaffirm Taiwan’s determination to stay engaged with the world.
Original (en)
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching‑te returned from a three‑day visit to Eswatini declaring that state‑to‑state travel is a “basic right,” using the moment to push back against Chinese efforts to block his trip and to reaffirm Taiwan’s determination to stay engaged with the world.
Published
May 5, 2026, 04:32 PM UTC
8d ago
Significance
Taiwan's president made an unexpected diplomatic visit to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), one of the few nations maintaining formal diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. This visit represents an important political gesture to reinforce bilateral relations and Taiwan's international standing amid continued pressure from mainland China.
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.
China condemns Eswatini for being ‘kept and fed’ by Taiwan in travel row China said on Wednesday Eswatini’s leaders were being “kept and fed” by Taiwan, using unusually strong language to condemn the small southern African kingdom for hosting President Lai Ching-te. China and Taiwan have long traded accusations of “dollar diplomacy” to win support from developing countries. Beijing’s latest criticism came after Lai returned home on Tuesday… Source
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