TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - 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.
Lai was to visit Eswatini from April 22-26, but the Taiwanese government was forced to postpone the trip after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew permission for the president to fly over their territories, which Taipei said was due to pressure from China.
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.
In a separate Facebook post on Saturday, Lai wrote that the visit had been made possible thanks to the careful planning of his diplomatic and national security teams.
He added that the trip would strengthen the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini further by fostering closer economic, agricultural, cultural and educational ties.
How did China react to the visit?
Shortly after Lai posted on social media about his visit, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the president was "performing a laughable stunt in front of the world," referring to him being "smuggled" out of Taiwan.
The ministry described Lai's visit and "undignified act" as a "losing cause" and said that "nothing will ever change the fact that Taiwan is part of China."
"We urge Eswatini and some other individual countries to see where the arc of history bends and stop serving as the prop of 'Taiwan independence' separatists," it added.
Taiwan's 12 diplomatic allies
China views Taiwan, which is governed democratically, as part of its territory and does not recognize its right to state-to-state ties. Over the years, the number of countries with formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan has gradually decreased.
Lai rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, stating that Taiwan has the right to engage with other countries and that its future should be decided by its people alone.
Currently, only 12 states still have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Most of them are in Latin America and the Caribbean: Belize, Guatemala, Paraguay, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Three are in the Pacific: the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Tuvalu. One is in Africa (Eswatini), and one is in Europe (the Vatican).
Read: China Hails Countries for Blocking Taiwan President's Flight
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
China Hails Countries for Blocking Taiwan President's Flight
10 hari lalu
Taiwan's president canceled a trip to Eswatini after three African nations denied airspace access; China denies pressure.
Explore Taichung Aquarium, Taiwan's New Marine Tourism Icon
18 hari lalu
Taichung Aquarium emerges as a new icon of marine tourism in Taiwan, combining education, technology, and recreation.
China Boosts Ties with Taiwan After Opposition Leader Visits
20 hari lalu
China said it would resume flights between Taiwan and more cities on the mainland, as well as easing bans on Taiwanese food and TV shows.
China's Xi Jinping Hosts Taiwan Opposition Leader in Beijing
22 hari lalu
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is courting Taiwan's China-friendly opposition leader as Beijing seeks to reframe the cross-strait narrative.
F4 Jakarta Reunion Concert 2026: Ticket Prices and Seating List
22 hari lalu
The F4 reunion concert in Jakarta has been extended to three days on May 28-30, 2026. Check the official ticket prices and sale dates here.
Today's Top 3 News: Taiwan Opposition Leader Cheng Li-wun Makes Rare China Visit
23 hari lalu
Here is the list of the top 3 news on Tempo English today.
Taiwan Opposition Leader Cheng Li-wun Makes Rare China Visit
24 hari lalu
The leader of Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party Cheng Li-wun was in China's eastern city of Nanjing on Wednesday.
Taiwan Opposition Leader Heads to China for 'Peace'
25 hari lalu
Taiwan Opposition Leader hopes to meet Xi Jinping during her visit to China. She said, "To preserve peace is to preserve Taiwan."
Taiwan Parliament Approves Major Arms Deal with US
50 hari lalu
The weapons approved are part of an $11 billion US arms package announced in December.
Taiwan Indicts 62 Linked to Alleged Scam Center in Cambodia
59 hari lalu
The Cambodia-based Prince Group is suspected of running multi-billion dollar online fraud and money laundering operations globally.
