Taiwan President Lai Ching‑te quietly slipped into Eswatini at the weekend, days after Taipei accused China of pressuring several African states to block his aircraft from crossing their airspace, forcing the cancellation of a planned visit last month.
Lai said the trip went ahead after “days of careful arrangements” by his diplomatic and security teams although he did not disclose the route taken.
To avoid a repeat of last month’s cancellation, the visit was not announced in advance by either government.
Lai’s delegation includes Foreign Minister Lin Chia‑lung and National Security Council Adviser Alex Huang.
The trip had originally been scheduled for 22–26 April to mark the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession.
It was suspended after Taiwan said Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked overflight permits under Chinese pressure.
Beijing has dismissed Lai’s travel as a “stowaway‑style escape farce” and maintains that Taiwan has no right to state‑to‑state relations.
During his stay, Lai is expected to hold talks with King Mswati III and sign a customs agreement, according to Taiwan’s presidential office.
Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa and one of just 12 states that maintain formal ties with Taipei, making the relationship a priority for the Taiwanese government.
JN/APA