FILE – Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech as he inspects Taiwanese reservists participating in reserve military training in Ilan County, Eastern Taiwan, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. ChiangYing-ying/AP
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said he arrived in the African nation of Eswatini on Saturday, days after his government was forced to delay the trip when several countries withdrew permission for him to fly over their territories reportedly under Chinese pressure.
In a post on X, Lai said he arrived in Eswatini — Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa — to “affirm our longstanding friendship.” He said that Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy that China considers part of its territory, “will never be deterred by external pressures.”
Lai was originally scheduled to visit Eswatini from April 22, but Taiwanese officials said flight permits were revoked by Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar amid “strong pressure from the Chinese authorities, including economic coercion.”
In a separate Facebook post on Saturday, Lai wrote that the visit was made possible by careful arrangements by his diplomatic and national security teams. He said the trip will deepen ties with Eswatini in economics, agriculture, culture and education.
“Our resolve & commitment are underpinned by the understanding that Taiwan will continue to engage with the world — no matter the challenges faced,” Lai wrote on X. Taiwan did not announce the latest plans for Lai’s Eswatini visit prior to his arrival.
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded after Lai’s social media post, calling his actions “a laughable stunt” and saying he had been “smuggled” out of Taiwan. The statement called Lai’s visit an “undignified act” and asserted it would be a “losing cause,” urging Eswatini and others to abandon support for “Taiwan independence” separatists.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry rejected Beijing’s claims, saying Lai’s trip complied with international law, norms, diplomatic practices and Taiwan’s regulations. The ministry said Lai’s arrival was announced only after he landed for safety reasons, noting similar international precedents.
China has not ruled out using force to take control of Taiwan and has sought to block countries from maintaining formal ties with Taipei. In 2023, former president Tsai Ing-wen was the most recent Taiwanese president to visit Eswatini. The small, landlocked nation of about 1.2 million people was excluded from tariff-free access to China’s market because of its ties to Taiwan.
On Friday, Taiwan’s government expressed concern after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call that Taiwan is the “biggest risk” in relations between Beijing and Washington.
