Eswatini: President Lai Ching-te announced Saturday that he had arrived in Eswatini, following a suspension of his earlier planned visit to Taiwan's sole African ally due to revoked overflight permits. Lai made the announcement in a social media post, detailing the challenges faced and the successful resolution of the travel issues. According to Focus Taiwan, the visit, initially scheduled for April 22, was postponed due to unforeseen external factors. Lai explained that after several days of careful arrangements by Taiwan's diplomatic and national security teams, they successfully arrived in Eswatini. The trip aims to strengthen Taiwan-Eswatini relations, focusing on cooperation in the economy, agriculture, culture, and education, while also advancing Taiwan's international partnerships. Lai's visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession to the throne and his 58th birthday. President Lai expressed his intent to convey sincere gratitude to King Mswati III and the Eswatini governm ent on behalf of the Taiwanese people. He emphasized Taiwan's commitment to engaging with the world and working collaboratively for global good, despite challenges. The Presidential Office had previously announced the suspension of the visit on April 21, attributing it to Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar unexpectedly rescinding overflight permits. The office cited China's "economic coercion" as a reason for the revocation but did not comment on reports that Germany and the Czech Republic had also denied Taiwan's transit requests over potential backlash from Beijing.
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