Taiwan’s president to travel to Eswatini

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen will visit Eswatini, its only African ally, next month to strengthen their relationship.

During the visit, she will go to parties to celebrate the country’s independence day and King Mswati III’s birthday.

She will go on a trip from 5th to 7th September, which is also the 55th anniversary of the countries’ friendship.

China says that Taiwan belongs to them and should not be allowed to have relationships with other countries as an independent state. It only has official connections with 13 countries, including Eswatini.

Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Roy Lee, said that the Taiwanese president’s visit to South Africa is not meant to rival Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the same country this week.

Ms Tsai went to Eswatini in 2018. This is the only African country that still talks diplomatically with the Asian island, while Burkina Faso changed to China’s side in May 2018.