King Mswati III of Eswatini yesterday pledged to be Taiwan’s friend in “good times and bad times,” as he witnessed the signing of an economic cooperation agreement by representatives of the two countries in Taipei.
The king made the remarks during his formal meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office Building, a day after he joined Tsai to observe a portion of the annual Han Kuang military exercises in Taichung.
He arrived on a state visit to Taiwan on Wednesday and is scheduled to depart on Tuesday next week.
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
Having visited 17 times, the king said he is always warmly received by the Taiwanese government and its people, from whom he intends to learn, as his kingdom is in the process of transforming into a developed country.
Tsai’s administration has demonstrated itself to be an effective team that endeavors to communicate with the public about its policies, the king said.
Although Taiwan’s efforts to contribute to the international community have been restricted, he is confident that “the world will realize one day the things your country has contributed immensely to,” the king said.
He also pledged his allegiance to Taiwan amid reported efforts by China to poach Eswatini — Taiwan’s only remaining African diplomatic ally — before a summit of Chinese and African leaders in Beijing in September alst year.
Late last month, Burkina Faso severed ties with Taiwan and switched recognition to Beijing.
“Coming to our second home, I want to also make the commitment that whatever the challenges, we will always be together. You know we’re friends in good times and in bad times. We will always be friends,” the king said.
In her speech, Tsai expressed gratitude for Eswatini’s long-term support in the international arena.
“Despite the difficulties we face regarding international participation, we have never considered isolationism. We have pledged not to engage in a diplomatic bidding war [with China], but that does not mean we will isolate ourselves from the international community,” she said.
Taiwan has the capacity and the willingness to make a greater contribution to the world, Tsai said, adding that setbacks would only make her nation braver.
The agreement was inked by Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) and Swazi Minister of Commerce and Trade Jabulani Mabuza, with Tsai and the king acting as witnesses.
The agreement calls for stronger cooperation between Taiwan and Eswatini in the areas of economics, trade, technology, investment and environmental protection, and is designed to facilitate a mutually beneficial partnership and improve the welfare of both countries’ people, the Presidential Office said in a news release.
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
RSS