Taiwan President Lai arrives in Eswatini for surprise visit despite Beijing’s opposition

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini for a surprise visit that Beijing sought to obstruct, asserting upon his arrival that Taiwan maintains an inherent right to engage with the global community that no nation can rescind. China condemned the visit, denouncing Lai in derogatory terms.

Beijing maintains that Taiwan is a part of its territory and opposes any independent diplomatic engagement between the island and other states. Conversely, the Taiwanese government, supported by the US, continues to strengthen its international ties despite persistent pressure from China.

Last month, Taipei reported that China had pressured three Indian Ocean nations to withdraw airspace transit permissions for Lai’s flight to Eswatini. The visit to the Southern African kingdom was organized to mark the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne. Eswatini is one of only 12 sovereign states that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.

Invoking Taiwan’s official name—a designation Beijing routinely contests—Lai addressed the King in remarks released by the presidential office on Sunday. “The Republic of China, Taiwan, is a sovereign nation and a Taiwan that belongs to the world,” Lai said.

“Taiwan’s 23 million people have the right to engage with the world, and no country has the right to prevent Taiwan from contributing to the world; no country should attempt to do so,” he added.

Lai arrived on Saturday in Eswatini, the nation formerly known as Swaziland with a population of approximately 1.3 million. The visit had not been pre-announced by either government, and Lai traveled aboard an Eswatini government aircraft.

A senior Taiwanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, stated that the “arrival first, announcement later” protocol is a standard practice in high-level international diplomacy. The official explained that the strategy is designed to minimize the “uncertain risks of potential intervention from external forces.”

Late Saturday, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office characterized Lai’s travel as having “sneaked” into the country.

“The despicable behavior of Lai Ching-te, like a rat scurrying across the street, will inevitably be subject to the ridicule of the international community,” a spokesperson for the office said.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, the body responsible for cross-strait policy, responded by stating that Lai does not require Beijing’s permission to travel.

The Council further dismissed the rhetoric from Beijing, describing the “vulgar language” employed by the Taiwan Affairs Office as “extremely tedious.”

The diplomatic tension follows the airspace transit dispute last month, which drew US criticism of China’s actions and prompted expressions of concern from the European Union, Britain, France, and Germany.