President William Lai’s (賴清德) upcoming trip to Eswatini highlights the value of the “Taiwan model” of diplomacy in contrast to China’s hegemonic expansion, and would amplify Taiwan’s diplomatic significance in the Global South, a foreign affairs official said today.
Lai is to lead a delegation to Eswatini from Wednesday next week to April 27 to celebrate King Mswati III’s 40-year anniversary on the throne, the Presidential Office said earlier this morning.
Lai’s visit “demonstrates the long-standing, stable diplomatic friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini,” the official said.
Photo: CNA
The president is leading the delegation in response to a handwritten invitation from the king, reflecting Taiwan’s commitment to the relationship, they said.
It also signifies to the international community that despite continuous pressure from China, the Taiwan-Eswatini relationship is strong and enduring, they added.
In recent years, Beijing has expanded its influence in Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, while pressuring Eswatini in a bid to eliminate Taiwan’s last remaining diplomatic ally on the continent.
However, China’s model of diplomacy has come under scrutiny, as data from the World Bank showed Sub-Saharan Africa countries in or at high risk of debt distress rose from eight in 2014 to 23 last year, reflecting the risks they face under external financing and debt, the official said.
In sharp contrast to China, Taiwan does not tie high-interest loans to politics, but focuses on cooperating in public health, education, agriculture, women’s empowerment, infrastructure and talent cultivation, they said.
Lai’s trip also highlights the strategic importance of the Taiwan-Eswatini relationship, the officials said.
Eswatini is part of the Southern African Customs Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area, giving it regional connectivity, they said.
The president’s trip is not only about strengthening diplomatic ties, but also demonstrating the concrete contributions Taiwan offers its allies in healthcare, public health, infrastructure and talent development, enhancing Taiwan’s visibility and credibility in Africa, they said.
For Taiwan, this is not just a diplomatic visit, but a demonstration to the international community of the kind of partner Taiwan can be, they added.
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