Taiwan's president visits Eswatini despite China's objection
Key takeaways
- The visit of Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te to the African country was delayed after several countries reportedly withdrew permission for him to fly over their territories due to pressure from China.
- In a post on X, he said that he had arrived in Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Africa to "affirm our longstanding friendship." "Taiwan will never be deterred by external pressures," Lai added.
- Beijing denied it had applied economic pressure to block Lai's trip, but at the same time said it had "high appreciation" for the three countries' actions.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The visit of Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te to the African country was delayed after several countries reportedly withdrew permission for him to fly over their territories due to pressure from China.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DAMULai Ching-te (center) landed in Eswatini, which is Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Africa Image: Taiwan Presidential Office/AFPAdvertisement Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te arrived in the African nation of Eswatini on Saturday, announcing the trip on social media.
In a post on X, he said that he had arrived in Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Africa to "affirm our longstanding friendship." "Taiwan will never be deterred by external pressures," Lai added.