TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) arrived in Eswatini Saturday, fewer than two weeks after alleged interference by China derailed his previous plans for a visit.
Lai had been scheduled to visit Taiwan’s sole ally in Africa April 22-27 to attend celebrations for the 58th birthday of King Mswati III and the 40th anniversary of his coronation. However, the day before his trip, he announced its cancellation because Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Madagascar revoked overflight permits.
Lai on Saturday announced his arrival on his Facebook page. A picture showed him waving from the doorway of his plane, flanked by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Presidential Secretary-General Pan Men-an (潘孟安).
Even though he arrived a few days late, the people of Eswatini as always gave him an enthusiastic and warm welcome, Lai wrote. He expressed his thanks to the king and the government for Eswatini’s active support on Taiwan’s behalf despite diplomatic and economic pressure.
Going into the world and providing mutual assistance to every positive force was the inalienable right of the Taiwanese people and Taiwan’s promise to the world, Lai said. He added that in the face of challenges, Taiwan would be determined to overcome all, and in the face of unfair pressure, it would insist on a fair and rational response.
Loving freedom and peace, Taiwan would not seek conflict, but neither give up its move into the world. He concluded his statement by saying he would persevere until the end “for ourselves and for each future generation of Taiwanese.”
There was no immediate comment on how Lai’s flight had succeeded in reaching Eswatini, a landlocked country bordering on South Africa and Mozambique. After his first travel plans were thwarted, Lai had sent Lin to Eswatini as a special envoy. The African country also sent its vice premier to Taiwan to meet with Lai. An unconfirmed report by UDN speculated that Lai had boarded the Eswatini vice premier’s return flight.
