The planned visit on Wednesday by King Mswati III of Eswatini shows the African nation’s commitment to Taiwan, Swazi Ambassador to Taiwan Thamie Dlamini said.
Dlamini’s remarks deflated speculation that Eswatini, which has maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan for 50 years, might cut ties with Taipei and recognize Beijing instead, after Burkina Faso severed ties with Taiwan on May 24.
“We will stick with Taiwan. Our diplomatic ties are very strong. We are very happy with that,” Dlamini said on Friday. “Next week, we are all excited about the visit of His Majesty, who is going to cement the very good relations between the two nations.”
Photo: CNA
The king is scheduled to stay in Taiwan until Tuesday next week.
The ambassador said the visit has been planned for some time and was not arranged in haste.
Taiwan is a second home for the king, Dlamini said, adding that the visit would deliver a strong signal that the two nations enjoy solid ties.
When Burkina Faso severed ties with Taiwan, Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, was left as the nation’s only African ally.
After Burkina Faso switched recognition, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) publicly called for Eswatini to do so as well.
The loss of Burkina Faso leaves Taiwan with only 18 diplomatic allies. It was the fourth ally to switch its recognition to China since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in May 2016. The other nations were Sao Tome and Principe, Panama and the Dominican Republic.
“We want to once again extend our deepest gratitude to Taiwan and to the people of Taiwan, who have always worked hard to support economic and social development initiatives in Eswatini,” Dlamini said. “We are very happy with the current status of our diplomatic relations with the Republic of China.”
Eswatini respects China as a nation and respects the way in which Beijing implements its foreign policy, Dlamini said, but added that as a sovereign state, Eswatini is capable of conducting its own foreign policy.
Speaking about the king’s upcoming visit, Dlamini said that the king and Tsai would sign a bilateral economic cooperation agreement, which is expected to grant preferential tariffs to Swazi products sold in Taiwan.
“We don’t always come to Taiwan to beg, but we come to seek how we can best cooperate and support each other,” the ambassador said. “In our attempts, we are always ready to support Taiwan by playing an active role.”
The king is to attend his son’s university graduation on Saturday, Dlamini said, adding that the young man plans to stay in Taiwan and pursue a graduate degree.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
RSS