Ambassador to Eswatini Thomas Chen (陳經銓) has been hospitalized in South Africa after he was found seriously ill in his office on June 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Chen was first treated in Eswatini after he fell ill, ministry spokesperson Andrew Lee (李憲章) said, but he has since been transferred to a hospital in South Africa after the ministry received permission from Chen’s family.
Lee did not disclose the nature of Chen’s illness, saying only that he fell ill because he had been very busy over the past few months arranging President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) state visit to Eswatini in April and a visit by King Mswati III to Taiwan earlier this month.
The head of the nation’s medical mission in Eswatini and a nurse are accompanying Chen at the South African hospital, Lee said.
Swazi King Mswati III, Tsai and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) have all expressed concern over Chen’s hospitalization and have wished him a swift recovery, Lee added.
Chen has served as ambassador to the southern African nation, previously known as Swaziland, since September 2013.
He has previously served as deputy representative to Canada and head of the ministry’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
The nation’s embassy in Eswatini is currently being headed by Chen’s deputy, Lee said.
Eswatini is the nation’s only remaining diplomatic ally in Africa after Burkina Faso switched recognition to China on May 24.
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