President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday met with a visiting delegation led by Thulisile Dladla, deputy prime minister of Eswatini in Southern Africa, and expressed hope for increased collaborations between the two countries.
Relations between Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China, and Eswatini have lasted over five decades, through various collaborations on agriculture, economics and trade, education and healthcare, among other fields, Lai said at the meeting at the Presidential Office.
He added that he looked forward to seeing more partnership between the two sides, which established formal ties in 1968, in all areas.
Photo: CNA
In the face of growing threats from authoritarian regimes, Taiwan and Eswatini should continue to support each other on the international stage, Lai said, while also thanking the African nation for its backing of Taiwan’s efforts to take part in international organizations.
Meanwhile, Dladla, who arrived in Taiwan on Monday for a five-day visit upon Taipei’s invitation, lauded Taiwan’s assistance in building Eswatini’s infrastructure and promoting national development as "life-changing."
"We offer our eternal gratitude, our unwavering support, and our unbreakable commitment to this great partnership [between the two sides]," added Dladla, who previously served as Eswatini’s top diplomat from 2018 to 2023.
Eswatini, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, and one of the last absolute monarchies in the world that has been ruled by King Mswati III since 1986.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park this weekend, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a theme food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances. Pokemon Go Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as photo attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs. Pokemon trainers could also experience the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area. Three PokeStops are to be set up in the park. Trainers are invited to take