SOUTHERN AFRICA — Taiwan President Lai Ching-te arrived in Eswatini on Saturday for a diplomatic visit after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked flight permits for the trip over pressure from Chinese authorities. Lai had originally been scheduled to travel to the southern African nation from April 22.

Taiwan did not announce the latest plans for the visit before his arrival. In a Facebook post, Lai said the visit was made possible following careful arrangements by his diplomatic and national security teams, and that the trip will further deepen the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini through closer economic, agricultural, cultural, and educational ties. He wrote on X, "Our resolve & commitment are underpinned by the understanding that Taiwan will continue to engage with the world — no matter the challenges faced."

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to the visit as a laughable stunt and said Lai had been smuggled out of Taiwan. The ministry said the visit was an undignified act and a losing cause that does not change that China considers Taiwan part of its territory. "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," the spokesperson said.

China has sought to block other countries from maintaining formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and has not ruled out using force to take control of Taiwan. Eswatini is excluded from tariff-free access to China's market because of its diplomatic ties to Taiwan.

Eswatini, a landlocked nation of around 1.2 million people, last received a visit from a Taiwanese president in 2023, when Tsai Ing-wen traveled there. The visit by Lai marks the first by a Taiwanese president to Eswatini since that trip.