Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech during a ceremony commemorating the 65th anniversary of the second cross-strait crisis on August 23, 2023 in Kinmen, Taiwan. Portal/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire License Rights
TAIPEI, Sept 5 (Portal) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen traveled to Eswatini, Taipei’s last African ally, on Tuesday for a visit, saying the island would continue to confidently work with the world and show it was a force for the cause Good be.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory with no right to interstate relations, currently has formal relations with only 13 countries, almost all small, less developed countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific, such as Belize and Nauru.
In March, Honduras ended decades-long ties with Taiwan.
Tsai said at the airport before her departure that Eswatini was a “trusted old friend.”
“Not only will Taiwan’s steps in the world not stop, we will continue to move forward more resolutely and confidently so that the world can see Taiwan’s steady strength forever,” she said in comments broadcast live from the Presidential Office.
Tsai is in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, from September 5 to 7 to mark the country’s 55th anniversary of independence while celebrating the 55th anniversary of bilateral relations.
Eswatini is almost entirely surrounded by South Africa, which Chinese President Xi Jinping visited last month
Tsai flies direct to Eswatini and does not need to stop anywhere, unlike visits to Latin America that require transit via the United States, which always angers China.
Tsai last visited Eswatini in 2018 and this time is accompanied by Economic Affairs Minister Wang Mei-hua.
Taiwan has provided extensive aid to the small southern African country ruled by an absolute monarchy, including antiviral drugs in 2021 to help King Mswati III. to help recover from COVID.
Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Edited by Michael Perry
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