Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday morning arrived in Eswatini, days after President William Lai (賴清德) was forced to cancel his planned trip to southern Africa due to reported interference from China.
Lai had been scheduled to visit Eswatini from Wednesday to yesterday to attend celebrations for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession and the monarch’s 58th birthday, but the Presidential Office said on the eve of Lai’s departure that the trip was suspended after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew overflight permissions, with Seychelles and Madagascar citing adherence to Beijing’s “one China” principle.
In a video posted on the Eswatini government’s Facebook page earlier yesterday, Lin was seen walking on the tarmac after arriving in Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in Africa.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via CNA
“H.E. [His Excellency] Lin Chia-lung is in the country for the Ruby Jubilee of His Majesty’s reign and 58th birthday celebration,” the caption read, adding that he arrived at King Mswati III International Airport.
Lin “was warmly welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Senator Pholile Shakantu and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo,” it said.
Shortly after the video was posted, the Presidential Office confirmed in a statement that Lai had appointed Lin as his envoy to Eswatini.
Photo: Reuters
The appointment “shows we highly value the friendship shared by Taiwan and Eswatini” and embodies Taipei’s continuing effort to deepen cooperation with its allies in the spirit of reciprocity, Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) was cited as saying.
Lai had been scheduled to depart on Wednesday for what would have been his second overseas trip since taking office in May 2024, but the Presidential Office said the visit was suspended after Beijing pressured the three island nations into withdrawing overflight permissions.
A senior national security official who declined to be named said yesterday that Lai, after weighing the country’s interests, temporarily postponed the trip, adding that the president has called the monarch to say that bilateral friendship would remain unaffected and emphasize that external pressure would only strengthen cooperation and unity.
Top decisionmakers concluded that Lin should nonetheless represent Taiwan at events, and therefore he has been appointed as the president’s special envoy, they said.
Lin’s departure from Taipei was not publicly announced to avoid potential disruptions, they said.
He first flew to a European country before transiting to Eswatini, effectively bypassing China’s diplomatic blockade, they said.
Lin had also visited Eswatini in April last year as the president’s special envoy, during which he met with King Mswati III and jointly presided with the king over the inauguration ceremony of the two countries’ cooperative “strategic oil storage project.”
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