TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) will make his first trip to Africa next week, flying directly to Taiwan's sole ally on the continent as Beijing's pressure campaign continues to shrink Taipei's diplomatic circle. The five-day visit to Eswatini, announced Monday (April 13), will avoid Middle East airspace amid regional conflicts, officials said — though it won't avoid scrutiny of the kingdom's troubled human rights record.
The April 22-26 trip marks Lai's second overseas journey as president. "Our principle is safety," Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu (吳志中) told reporters at a Presidential Office press conference. "We will definitely avoid dangerous situations, so we will not fly over the Middle East region," Wu said, adding the presidential aircraft would not transit through any third country.
The direct flight mirrors former President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) two visits to Eswatini in 2018 and 2023, both nonstop journeys of approximately 13.5 to 14 hours. Officials did not provide the expected duration for Lai's trip, though avoiding Middle East airspace may affect routing. The approach contrasts with Lai's late-2024 Pacific trip, which included transit stops in Honolulu and Guam.
Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said Lai will attend celebrations for King Mswati III's 40th enthronement anniversary and 58th birthday. The visit theme is "Taiwan-Eswatini Celebrate Together, Hand in Hand Toward Shared Prosperity" (臺史同慶，攜手共榮). The agenda includes bilateral talks, a joint communique signing and a courtesy call on the queen mother.
Wu said Lai would meet other heads of state attending the celebrations, though he did not specify which leaders were expected. Kuo outlined three cooperation goals: security initiatives, including strategic oil storage facilities, economic projects, such as a Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park, and digital collaboration through smart healthcare systems. Details on budgets and timelines were not provided.
Taiwan and Eswatini established diplomatic relations 58 years ago. The southern African kingdom, formerly known as Swaziland, has approximately 1.3 million people and covers 17,363 square kilometers (6,704 square miles) — roughly half the size of Taiwan. It is an absolute monarchy; King Mswati III has ruled since 1986.
Human Rights Watch reported in January 2025 that Eswatini's government "continued to weaponize the judicial system by imprisoning pro-democracy activists." Justice remains elusive for those killed during 2021 protests, the organization noted. Reporters Without Borders also describes the country as a place where "any criticism of the monarchy is punishable by trial and heavy penalties."
Eswatini is one of 12 countries that still recognize Taiwan, a number Beijing has steadily reduced through economic inducements and diplomatic pressure. For Taipei, every ally matters — but embracing an absolute monarchy accused of jailing pro-democracy activists complicates the narrative Taiwan's ruling party uses to distance itself from its powerful neighbor. For Mbabane, the calculus may be shifting as Beijing's influence spreads across Africa, raising the prospect that Taiwan's friendship could (again) become a bargaining chip. ◼
