On May 2, 2026, the President of the Republic of China, Lai Ching-te, announced on Facebook that he had arrived in Eswatini, an African ally (referred to as Swaziland in mainland China), for an official visit. (Provided by the Facebook account of President Lai Ching-te)
[People News] Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te made an unexpected visit to Eswatini on Saturday after his itinerary was delayed due to flight permit issues. The Presidential Office of Taiwan had previously revealed that several countries along his flight path had revoked transit permits under pressure from the CCP. Upon his arrival, Lai emphasised that Taiwan's right to engage with the world is 'inalienable' and that he would respond rationally to external pressures.
As explained by the Presidential Office of Taiwan on April 21, Lai Ching-te was initially scheduled to visit this African ally from April 22 to 27. However, due to interference from the CCP, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar unexpectedly revoked transit permits for the presidential aircraft, leading to a delay in his plans.
On Saturday, Lai confirmed on Facebook that, thanks to the meticulous coordination of Taiwan's diplomatic and national security teams, he had successfully arrived in Eswatini.
In his post, Lai stated: 'The visit originally scheduled for April 22 was postponed due to unexpected external forces. After days of careful arrangements by the diplomatic and national security teams, we have successfully arrived today. Although it is a few days late, the people of Eswatini still gave us the warmest and most enthusiastic welcome.' He also shared a photo on Facebook of himself disembarking the aircraft alongside Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and Secretary-General of the Presidential Office Pan Meng-an.
On the same day, the government of Eswatini announced Lai Ching-te's arrival on its official Facebook page, stating, 'Welcome home, Lai Ching-te.'
Lai Ching-te emphasised that Taiwan is overcoming all challenges with determination and effort, responding to oppression and injustice with righteousness and reason. He noted that Taiwan does not seek confrontation but will never abandon its quest to engage with the world.
He expressed his hope to further deepen Taiwan-Eswatini relations through this visit and to promote Taiwan's international cooperation. He also thanked Eswatini for standing firm against various diplomatic and economic pressures, actively voicing support for Taiwan's international space.
Eswatini is one of Taiwan's 12 remaining formal diplomatic allies. The other 11 countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan include the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Tuvalu, the Vatican, Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent.
Analysts indicate that despite the Chinese Communist Party's long-standing aggressive 'diplomatic zero-out' strategy aimed at isolating Taiwan internationally, Lai Ching-te's successful visit to Eswatini and the warm, 'family-like' reception he received clearly demonstrate that Beijing's threats and intimidation can no longer undermine the substantial connections between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies.
Taiwan's resilience as a democracy in the international arena has made it an essential part of the global supply chain and democratic systems. The international community's support for Taiwan has evolved from simple diplomatic recognition to a collective defence of the values of freedom and democracy. Any political manoeuvres by the Chinese Communist Party aimed at diminishing Taiwan's international presence appear weak and ineffective in the face of international justice and the strength of democracy. △
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