President William Lai (賴清德) has been invited to speak at the Kingdom of Eswatini’s celebrations during his upcoming visit, at which he is expected to lay out Taiwan’s vision for deeper ties with African nations and push back against Beijing’s “one China” narrative, sources said.
Eswatini is one of 12 UN member countries worldwide that have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and the only one in Africa.
It is the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession and his 58th birthday, as well as the 58th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Eswatini and Taiwan. The country is slated to host a large-scale joint celebration, bringing together key leaders from across Africa.
Photo: CNA
The Presidential Office on Monday last week announced that Lai, in response to the king sending a personally signed letter inviting him to attend the celebrations, leads a delegation to Eswatini tomorrow.
Sources said that Lai’s invitation, in his capacity as head of state, already sends a strong strategic signal: At a time when China is strengthening its ties with African countries, his presence once again underscores Taiwan’s identity and value and presents a significant challenge to Beijing’s long-standing “one China” narrative.
Lai’s speech is expected to underscore Taiwan’s firm commitment to engaging globally, pointing to the tangible results of Taiwan-Eswatini cooperation, Taiwan’s global strategic role and its vision for future partnerships with African countries, they said.
From a strategic perspective, Africa is a core region of the global south, they said.
The mutually beneficial relationship between Taiwan and Eswatini reflects a “reciprocal partnership model” distinct from hegemonic approaches and is likely to be particularly appealing to African countries struggling with loans, sources familiar with foreign affairs said.
This visit is not only an interaction between two diplomatic allies, but an important occasion for Taiwan to explain its approach, capabilities and international role to African nations, they said, adding that it serves as a strategic communication effort directed at the global south and countries across the region.
Shortly after the announcement of Lai’s visit, what officials described as a wave of Chinese “cognitive warfare” followed.
Local media in Eswatini known to receive Chinese funding cited anonymous sources in making corruption allegations against Taiwan’s ambassador, the sources said.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the claims, but the reports were soon amplified on social media by a surge of suspicious accounts.
The pattern points to coordinated information operations linked to China, the sources said.
“The more Beijing ramps up disinformation efforts, the more it reflects its unease over President Lai’s visit,” they said.
From diplomatic significance and international messaging to its outreach in the region, Lai’s trip is expected to demonstrate Taiwan’s value through concrete actions, including its international participation and contributions to society, while once again underscoring that Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent state, they added.
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