Taiwan Leader Visits Eswatini Amid China Tensions
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, just days after his administration said a planned visit had been disrupted by alleged Chinese pressure on African nations to deny him overflight access. Speaking about the trip, Lai said it was made possible through “careful arrangements” by Taiwan’s diplomatic and national security teams, without revealing specific travel details. China criticized the visit, describing it as a “stowaway-style escape farce.” Beijing maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and rejects any form of official diplomatic engagement between Taiwan and other states. On arrival, Lai was received by Russell Dlamini and welcomed with a formal guard of honour. Taiwan’s delegation includes Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and National Security Council adviser Alex Huang, according to the presidential office. The visit was not publicly announced in advance. It had initially been scheduled for April […]