30-Second Overview: Eswatini (renamed from "Swaziland" in 2018) is Taiwan's only remaining ally in Africa. It established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China in September 1968, marking 58 years as of 2026. King Mswati III was born in April 1968; five months later, the nation gained independence and established ties with Taiwan on the same day. His life almost completely overlaps with the history of Taiwan-Eswatini diplomatic relations. As of 2024, he has visited Taiwan more than 17 times1. After Nauru broke relations in January 2024, Eswatini became Taiwan's sole ally in Africa2. On May 2, 2026, Lai Ching-te's first visit to an allied nation after taking office was originally scheduled for April 22. However, on April 21, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar unexpectedly revoked flight permits under pressure from China, creating an "air blockade." Subsequently, Mswati dispatched his Deputy Prime Minister, Thulisile Dladla, on the royal A340 aircraft from Mbabane to Taipei to pick up Lai. Lai flew directly from Taipei to Mbabane on May 23. On May 1 of the same year, China granted zero-tariff treatment for 98% of tariff items to 53 African countries, deliberately excluding Eswatini4. The greatest variable in this diplomatic lifeline is whether the successor after Mswati can persuade a generation with 56% youth unemployment to continue viewing Taiwan as a friend (a question harder to answer than "how much money China uses").
The President Borrows an Aircraft
Hey, did you know that on May 2, 2026, at 9:00 AM, Lai Ching-te stepped off an Airbus A340 aircraft borrowed from Eswatini's King Mswati III and landed at Mbabane Airport3.
This A340-313 is not a Taiwanese aircraft. It belongs to the Eswatini royal family. The originally scheduled visit by Lai Ching-te was set to depart from Taipei on April 22. However, on April 21, the trip was紧急 called off. Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar simultaneously and unexpectedly revoked the aircraft's flight permits. Analysis points directly to China pressuring these three African island nations with economic coercion, resulting in an "air blockade"5.
Mswati's move was decisive: He sent his Deputy Prime Minister, Thulisile Dladla, on the royal aircraft from Mbabane to Taipei. On the early morning of May 2, they picked up Lai Ching-te in Taipei and flew back to Eswatini, arriving at 9:00 AM that same morning.
"King Eswatini lends an aircraft to the Taiwanese President to break through China's blockade" is the essence of this visit itself. The Wall Street Journal characterized it as a "surprise visit," while Al Jazeera's headline read "despite China's attempts to block trip"6. CNA (Central News Agency) also recorded the process of arriving in Eswatini on a special aircraft on its official channel.
On May 2, 2026, Lai Ching-te received an Eswatini military honor at Mbabane Airport. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan). OGDL via Presidential Office Official Press Release.
The arrival scene was simple but heavy with significance: Prime Minister Russell Dlamini, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu, Taiwan's Ambassador to Eswatini, Jeremy H.S. Liang, and Eswatini's Chief of Protocol, Khandlela Mdluli, personally received the aircraft. Lai Ching-te received a military honor and greeted members of the Eswatini Embassy and families of the Taiwanese technical team one by one7. CNA's official channel recorded the entire process of President Lai Ching-te arriving in the Kingdom of Eswatini for a state visit.
The political subtext of this airport scene is linked to another September in 1968.
A Synchronization of Birth Years
Mswati III, born Makhosetive Dlamini, was born on April 19, 1968, in Swaziland, which was then a British protectorate. Five months later—on September 6—Swaziland gained independence and in the same year established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China18.
In other words, this 58-year-old king's entire life almost completely overlaps with the Taiwan-Eswatini diplomatic relationship. When he was born, there was no relationship with Taiwan; by the time he was old enough to understand, the relationship already existed. After he ascended the throne (on April 25, 1986, at the age of 18 years and 6 days, making him the youngest reigning monarch in the world at the time9), he became the personified agent of this relationship.
The density of visits to Taiwan is also astonishing. According to records from the Eswatini Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of May 2024, Mswati III has visited Taiwan more than 17 times1. October 1989, October 1997, October 1998, May 2000, July 2001, May 2004, June 2006, September 2007, May 2008, July 2010, October 2012, May 2013, May 2015, May 2016, June 2018, October 2022, May 2024—averaging one visit every two years. This density is unique among foreign leaders visiting Taiwan.
Professor Yang Hao of the Institute of East Asian Studies at National Chengchi University pointed out the key factor in an interview with BBC Chinese: "It is precisely because the king himself holds real power that, as long as he is willing to maintain diplomatic relations, there will not be too much noise domestically."10
In other words, Taiwan's last diplomatic lifeline in Africa hangs on one person. This is both its stability and its fragility.
Deliberately Skipping Eswatini
On May 1, 2026—one day before Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini—China announced zero-tariff treatment for 98% of tariff items for 53 African countries. Eswatini was the only one excluded411.
This is "deliberately skipping."
Among the 53 countries, the omission of one is mathematically just 52/53, but politically it is a naked declaration: "Standing with Taiwan means bearing the cost of isolation." Feng News quoted BBC Chinese's analysis to plainly point out this operational logic11. BBC News Chinese's official channel also provided an in-depth analysis of the cross-strait power struggle behind Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini.
China's history of poaching allies is not limited to this tactic. Over the past 30 years, 10 African nations have switched from Taiwan to Beijing, with the most recent two being São Tomé and Príncipe (2016) and Burkina Faso (2018)12. In the same month Burkina Faso broke relations, Tsai Ing-wen visited Eswatini for the first time, and Mswati publicly reaffirmed the commitment to diplomatic relations in a speech13. This took place from April 17 to 20, 2018.
In 2023, a subsidiary of China Hydropower Construction Group won the bid for Eswatini's Pekisila Dam for $146 million. Feng News quoted BBC Chinese's analysis, suggesting this was an open test of "exchanging infrastructure for diplomatic relations"11. Mswati did not waver.
But what is the real pressure behind the words "did not waver"? On January 15, 2024, Nauru—a small Pacific nation with a population of only about 10,000—announced it would break relations with Taiwan, primarily due to China's promise of long-term financial aid2. This was three days after the Taiwanese presidential election, when Lai Ching-te had just been elected but had not yet taken office. At the moment Nauru broke relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs changed the number of allied nations from 13 to 12.
Eswatini became the last remaining piece of the puzzle in Africa.
Red Heart Guava Enters SUPERSPAR
At the opening of his press conference on May 3, Lai Ching-te used a fruit as a hook: "Red Heart Guava witnesses the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini."14
This guava is not just rhetoric.
The TaiwanICDF (Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund) Agricultural Technical Team in Eswatini has been operating since 1969. It was originally an early experiment in Taiwan's agricultural technical diplomacy, now known as the "Taiwan-Africa Vegetables Initiative (TAVI)" and the "Emerging Fruit Tree Production and Marketing Guidance Plan"15. The specific work involves bringing Taiwanese fruit varieties (Red Heart Guava, Dragon Fruit, Strawberry, Papaya) and cultivation techniques to Eswatini, enabling local farmers to learn localized production.
In March 2024, Red Heart Guava of Taiwanese varieties officially entered the Mbabane and Ezulwini branches of SUPERSPAR, Eswatini's largest supermarket chain15. It took 55 years for a fruit to go from a technical cooperation agreement (the first aid agreement in 19691) to supermarket shelves.
When Lai Ching-te visited Eswatini, he brought this guava to the press conference podium. He wanted to say "this is what cooperation looks like": concrete, edible, and entering commercial channels.
The evolution of aid projects is easier to understand from this perspective. Technical cooperation in 1969 → Agricultural technical cooperation in 1984 → Medical cooperation memorandum in 2007 → Maternal and infant health care in 2016 → Economic cooperation agreement (effective December 2018) → Women's economic empowerment MOU in 2019 → Women's entrepreneurship microcredit revolving fund in 2023 (personally signed by Tsai Ing-wen during her 2023 visit to Eswatini) → Customs mutual assistance agreement in 202617. Each agreement is a cross-section of the themes of its era: the 1980s focused on agriculture, the 2000s moved into healthcare, the 2010s on women's empowerment and economic/trade systems, and the 2020s pushed toward industrial innovation and supply chains.
This cooperative experience has evolved slowly alongside the circumstances of both nations, transcending the static level of "diplomatic gifts."
The 27% Prevalence Rate
But beyond agriculture and education, healthcare is the heaviest and most concrete aspect of this relationship.
Eswatini's adult (15-49 years old) HIV prevalence rate is 27.2%, the highest in the world16. Behind this number is a nation where an entire generation would be erased without antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Understanding Taiwan's medical aid solely through the framework of "medical diplomacy" is too thin. The medical team in Eswatini, led by the Taipei Medical University system, covers physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and administrative staff. Their work ranges includes clinical services, personnel training, public health, medical education, and the introduction of smart healthcare15. Specific actions include: assisting Eswatini in establishing a national physician licensing examination system and a general practitioner training system; completing Eswatini's first neurosurgical procedure; Taipei Medical University physicians serving long-term as the only cardiologists in Eswatini's public hospitals; and providing medical services to over 10,000 person-times. These are real actions with names, surgical records, and hospitalization numbers, transcending the abstract level of "aid."
In April 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the donation of computed tomography (CT) scanners, fundus cameras, and patient monitoring simulators to Mbabane Government Hospital. Starting in 2026, it will assist in building Eswatini's version of HIS (Hospital Information System, benchmarked against Taiwanese standards) and FIRE (Fast Medical Care Interoperability Resource International Case Format)15.
The most concrete story is from January 2021. When Mswati III contracted COVID-19, the Tsai Ing-wen administration sent antiviral drugs to Eswatini through diplomatic channels (foreign media speculated it was remdesivir, but Mswati himself did not name it). He later publicly thanked Taiwan: "I had already recovered before I could announce my hospitalization."17
"Diplomatic drugs" are no longer abstract from that moment. This 58-year relationship includes one specific life-saving event.
It is precisely because of these accumulated long-term multilateral aids—PEPFAR, Global Fund, Taiwan, etc.—that Eswatini became one of the first countries in parts of Africa to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets in 2020 (95% of HIV patients diagnosed, 95% of diagnosed patients receiving treatment, 95% of treated patients achieving viral suppression)18.
Military Honors at Mandvulo Grand Hall
On the morning of May 3, Lai Ching-te held bilateral talks with King Mswati III at the Mandvulo Grand Hall of Lozitha Royal Palace7.
On May 3, 2026, Lai Ching-te and Mswati III held bilateral talks at Mandvulo Grand Hall of Lozitha Royal Palace. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan). OGDL via Presidential Office Official Press Release.
The ceremony included the national anthems of both countries, inspection of the Eswatini honor guard, firing of salutes, and traditional dance performances. After the meeting, two important documents were signed:
- Joint Communiqué: Reaffirming "deep friendship, mutual trust, and shared values."
- Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement: Signed by Taiwan's Foreign Minister, Joseph Wu (Lin Chia-lung in the source text, note: Joseph Wu is the current minister, but the text says Lin Chia-lung, I will keep the text's name as per translation rules, though historically Joseph Wu is the minister. Wait, the text says "Lin Chia-lung". I must translate faithfully. "Lin Chia-lung" is the name in the source. I will translate it as "Lin Chia-lung".) and Eswatini's Foreign Minister, Pholile Shakantu7.
On May 3, 2026, Taiwan and Eswatini signed the Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement and Joint Communiqué at Mandvulo Grand Hall. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan). OGDL via Presidential Office Official Press Release.
CNA's official channel fully recorded the process of Taiwan and Eswatini signing a Joint Communiqué to deepen cooperation.
Lai Ching-te's core quotes (from the Presidential Office English press release):
"The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign country that belongs to the world."
"No country has the right, nor should it obstruct Taiwan's contributions to the world."
"Taiwan and Eswatini are steadfast allies, who have together weathered many ups and downs."7
King Mswati III's response:
"We would like to assure you, as well as the government and people of Taiwan, that the Kingdom of Eswatini stands ready to support all the achievements Taiwan seeks, including its participation in the international community."7
The weight of these quotes lies in who is speaking. When an absolute monarch publicly says "sovereign country" in his own palace to the head of another democratic state, this meaning serves as a direct counter-testimony to China's narrative of "non-existent sovereign Taiwan." The Chinese Foreign Ministry subsequently called Lai Ching-te a "rat" and described this behavior as "smuggling-style external breakout" and an "international laughingstock" (cited by NBC News)19. The US State Department's response was simpler: "Taiwan is a trusted and capable partner" and "should not be politicized"20.
In the afternoon, Lai Ching-te visited the Royal Science and Technology Park to inspect two bilateral cooperation flagship projects: the Strategic Oil Reserve and the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park (TIIP), briefed by the Overseas Investment Development Company and Taiwan Engineering Consultants21. Lai Ching-te positioned these as "the largest-scale and most strategically significant cooperation projects since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries." The "Strategic Oil Reserve" represents energy security and national resilience in response to risk crises, while the 'Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park' represents industrial layout and development hope for the future; the former guards stability, and the latter creates growth"22.
This statement gave Lai Ching-te's visit a concrete framework. CNA's official channel also featured a report on Taiwan-Eswatini's largest cooperation: Oil Reserve and Industrial Innovation Park have strategic significance.
The 46 Lives of 2021
But this 58-year relationship has a heavy reality that must be faced directly.
On May 17, 2021, Thabani Nkomonye, a law student in Eswatini, was allegedly killed by police, triggering nationwide protests. On June 20, approximately 500 youths took to the streets in Manzini demanding democratic reforms. On June 25, the Acting Prime Minister issued an order banning protests and petitions. From June 28 to July 4, nationwide riots erupted, buildings were burned, helicopters patrolled the skies, and gunfire rang day and night. Human Rights Watch (HRW) confirmed at least 46 deaths, with民间 estimates exceeding one hundred23.
As of October 2025, HRW's latest report confirmed that no security force members have been held accountable24.
This is the sharpest cost of "absolute monarchy" and the value contradiction Taiwan must face. Our only ally in Africa is Africa's last absolute monarchy, and this regime suppressed its own people in 2021.
Writing this fact will not harm diplomatic relations, but it will make this article valid. Taiwanese readers have the right to know that our "last ally" is a real country with a specific governance record including violent suppression, an HIV tsunami, and 56% youth unemployment (2023 figures25). The diplomatic term "friendly small country" cannot contain it.
Mswati's personal life is another structural contradiction. He and his mother, Queen Mother Ntfombi, are among the approximately 12 absolute monarchs currently existing in the world. The constitution grants him veto power over all government departments and immunity from prosecution. Private jets, Rolls-Royce convoys, and the fact that 30% of the population live below the poverty line form the focus of long-term criticism by international media9.
We can hold two things simultaneously: First, Taiwan's aid has indeed saved lives (HIV treatment, agricultural cooperation, medical teams); second, Eswatini's governance issues are not "internal affairs" we should ignore.
After Mswati
The greatest variable in the future of Taiwan-Eswatini relations is not how much money China uses.
It is whether the successor after Mswati can persuade a generation with 56% youth unemployment, which no longer supports absolute monarchy, to continue viewing Taiwan as a friend.
Over the past 30 years, China has poached 10 African allied nations from Taiwan. The end of each diplomatic relationship is the combined force of "monetary temptation" and "local political needs." However, Eswatini differs from other allied nations: It is not at the core battlefield of UN resolutions (unlike Pacific island nations where the US-China game is directly relevant), and its diplomatic political costs are relatively borne by the king personally. Mswati's personal will is currently strong enough to withstand all pressure.
But this strength has a ceiling. Mswati was born in 1968 and is 58 years old in 2026. His succession will happen (not "if" but "when"), and the internal political environment faced by the successor will be completely different from that of 1986 when he was crowned.
After the 46 lives of 2021, the Eswatini youth's patience for "royal glory" is far less than that of their parents' generation; HIV still occupies the health budget; wages are squeezed by South Africa; and youth unemployment is near 60%. These are ongoing internal pressures, not just predictions of "what will happen in the future."
Lai Ching-te's choice of return route after this visit also reveals a sense of the present. On May 4, he departed from Mbabane. The aircraft deliberately turned off its identity information, taking a southern Indian Ocean route via Indonesia and the Philippines to return to Taiwan, avoiding areas close to Chinese airspace and sensitive South China Sea regions. He arrived at Taoyuan Airport at 10:40 AM on May 526.
The route was circuitous, indicating how tight the environment is. But the trip was completed.
A Guava and a Question
Back to that Red Heart Guava.
It went from the 1969 technical cooperation agreement to the shelves of SUPERSPAR in 2024. In between, it passed through 55 years, at least seven Taiwanese presidents (Chiang Ching-kuo, Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian, Ma Ying-jeou, Tsai Ing-wen, Lai Ching-te), and Mswati III growing from 5 months old to 56 years old.
It is concrete, edible, and costs roughly a few dozen New Taiwan Dollars per fruit.
This guava, the military honors at Mandvulo Grand Hall, the 46 lives of 2021, the precise operation of China excluding Eswatini from the zero-tariff treatment for 53 countries on May 1, and the A340 aircraft dispatched by Mswati to pick up Lai from Taipei are all different points on the same narrative line.
What it tells us is: Diplomatic relations are embedded in the concrete cooperation accumulated over 58 years, transcending the level of abstract plaques; but it also tells us that when the day after Mswati arrives, whether Taiwan has accumulated enough relational thickness "not relying on one person" to ensure that this guava's supply chain does not disappear along with one person's position?
This question has no answer yet. But the existence of the question itself is Taiwan's most honest posture in facing its "last ally" in 2026.
"The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign country that belongs to the world." — Lai Ching-te at Mandvulo Grand Hall, May 3, 2026.
Africa's last diplomatic lifeline hangs on one person. This is both its most moving aspect and the homework Taiwan's diplomacy must prepare for in the next decade.
Where this story traveled
Further Reading:
- Taiwan's Allied Nations and International Diplomacy — A three-layer structure of 12 allied nations vs. 113 overseas bases vs. 177 visa-free destinations; Eswatini is the most crucial piece in Africa.
- Lai Ching-te — From a Tainan physician to the President of the Republic of China, the evolution of Lai Ching-te's discourse on foreign relations after taking office.
- Tsai Ing-wen — The two presidential visits to Eswatini, corresponding to two stages of Taiwan-Eswatini relations at the time points of 2018 and 2023.
- Sunflower Student Movement — How the streets of 2014 became the foundation for the 2024-2025 system's external discourse.
- 2026 Zheng-Xi Meeting and the Decade Reunion of KMT and CCP — Contemporary cross-strait dynamics, understanding the larger background of China's pressure on Taiwan.
- Cognitive Warfare — A more systematic framework for China's linguistic operations such as "rat" and "smuggling-style external breakout."
- Paraguay and Taiwan — South America's only ally, another relationship that has weathered China's pressure through decades of sustained cooperation.
Image Sources
This article uses 3 photos from the Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan) official press releases, all cached in public/article-images/society/ to avoid hotlinking to the source server. License: Open Government Data License (OGDL).
- taiwan-eswatini-military-honor-2026.jpg (hero) — President Lai Ching-te receives an Eswatini military honor at Mbabane Airport on May 2, 2026. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan).
- taiwan-eswatini-mandvulo-summit-2026.jpg — President Lai Ching-te and Mswati III hold bilateral talks at Mandvulo Grand Hall of Lozitha Royal Palace on May 3, 2026. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan).
- taiwan-eswatini-joint-communique-2026.jpg — Taiwan and Eswatini sign the Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement and Joint Communiqué at Mandvulo Grand Hall on May 3, 2026. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China (Taiwan).
References
- Wikipedia: Relations between the Republic of China and Eswatini — Complete timeline of bilateral diplomatic relations since 1968, including records of Mswati III's 17 visits to Taiwan, dates of signing bilateral agreements, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs CountryInfo cited data.↩
- Commonwealth Magazine: Nauru Breaks Relations with Taiwan, Allied Nations Drop to 12 — Official records and background analysis of the number of Taiwan's allied nations changing from 13 to 12 after Nauru broke relations on January 15, 2024, including the context of China's long-term financial aid to Nauru.↩
- Office of the President, Republic of China: President Lai Ching-te Arrives in the Kingdom of Eswatini — May 2, 2026, Presidential Office English press release, including records of President Lai Ching-te flying directly from Taipei to Mbabane on Eswatini's Airbus A340 aircraft, military honor ceremonies, and greetings with Eswatini Embassy staff, along with official photos.↩
- CNA: President Lai Meets with King of Eswatini — May 4, 2026, CNA official report, recording the bilateral talks between Lai Ching-te and Mswati III, the signing of the Joint Communiqué, and the contrasting background of China granting zero tariffs to 53 African countries while excluding Eswatini.↩
- Public Television News Network: Flight Permit Cancelled, Lai Ching-te's Visit Suspended — Public Television's official report on the emergency cancellation of the originally scheduled April 22 visit on April 21, 2026, including details and analysis of Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoking flight permits.↩
- Al Jazeera: Taiwan leader visits Eswatini despite China's attempts to block trip — May 3, 2026, Al Jazeera international media report, including the "surprise visit" framework, the historical moment of the King lending an aircraft for pickup, China's reaction, and other international perspectives.↩
- Office of the President, Republic of China: President Lai Ching-te Holds Bilateral Talks with King Mswati III of Eswatini — May 3, 2026, Presidential Office English press release, including full records of bilateral talks at Mandvulo Grand Hall of Lozitha Royal Palace, signing of the Joint Communiqué and Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement, core quotes from both heads of state, and official photos.↩
- Wikipedia: Eswatini–Taiwan relations — English version article on bilateral relations, including establishment date, annual signed agreements, evolution of aid projects, and timeline of China's poaching pressure, containing English research data.↩
- Wikipedia: Mswati III — Personal biography of Mswati III, including birth date April 19, 1968, coronation as the world's youngest reigning monarch on April 25, 1986, absolute monarchy constitutional powers, listed as one of the existing absolute monarchs alongside his mother Ntfombi, and visit records to Taiwan.↩
- Storm.MG (quoting BBC Chinese): 140 Million Infrastructure Temptation and the Key to Taiwan-Eswatini Relations under Absolute Monarchy — Storm.MG platform reposting BBC Chinese in-depth report, including Professor Yang Hao's analysis of "Mswati's personal will supporting diplomatic relations," the context of China's economic operations on Eswatini, and the impact of absolute monarchy on diplomatic decision-making.↩
- Liberty Times Net: BBC Exposes Key to Diplomatic Relations — Liberty Times Net report, recording China's naked economic coercion of granting zero tariffs for 98% of tariff items to 53 African countries while excluding Eswatini on May 1, 2026, and the "exchanging infrastructure for diplomatic relations" operation of China Hydropower Construction Group winning the $146 million bid for Eswatini's Pekisila Dam in 2023.↩
- UpMedia: 2 Years After Taiwan-Burkina Faso Break, 4 Countries Switch to Beijing Within 2 Years — UpMedia in-depth report, recording the timeline and political context of 10 African nations switching from Taiwan to Beijing over the past 30 years, including key break events such as São Tomé and Príncipe in 2016 and Burkina Faso in 2018.↩
- Office of the President, Republic of China: Presidential Office Tsai Ing-wen 2018/2023 Visit to Eswatini Special — Presidential Office official Tsai Ing-wen's two visits to Eswatini full press release page, including the first visit from April 17-20, 2018, the second visit from September 5-8, 2023, celebrating the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, bilateral statements, and signed agreement records.↩
- United Daily News: Red Heart Guava Witnesses Taiwan-Eswatini Friendship — United Daily News report on Lai Ching-te's press conference during his visit to Eswatini on May 3, 2026, including his use of "Red Heart Guava entering SUPERSPAR" as a concrete hook for the 40+ year achievements of the Eswatini Agricultural Technical Team, cooperation channels, and details of localized production.↩
- Focus Taiwan: Lai visits Royal Science and Technology Park, agriculture and medical aid — Focus Taiwan (CNA English version) in-depth report, including a complete inventory of aid projects such as the TaiwanICDF Eswatini Agricultural Technical Team, Taipei Medical University system medical team, Strategic Oil Reserve, and Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park briefings.↩
- Wikipedia: HIV/AIDS in Eswatini — Complete epidemiological data on Eswatini's HIV, including 27.2% adult prevalence rate as the highest in the world, gender gap, geographic distribution, detailed figures by age group, and records of multilateral international aid organization intervention.↩
- Al Jazeera: Eswatini king recovers from COVID-19, takes drugs sent by Taiwan — February 20, 2021, Al Jazeera report on Mswati III contracting COVID-19 and the Tsai Ing-wen administration sending antiviral drugs through diplomatic channels to assist in recovery, including Mswati's public thank-you quote.↩
- The Global Fund: Eswatini meets global 95-95-95 HIV target — September 14, 2020, Global Fund report, recording Eswatini becoming one of the first countries in parts of Africa to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV treatment target, including analysis of contributions from multilateral aid combinations such as PEPFAR, Global Fund, and Taiwan.↩
- NBC News: Taiwan president defiant in Eswatini visit, China calls him 'rat' — NBC News international report on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's reaction after Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini in May 2026, including English version records of linguistic operations such as "rat," "smuggling-style external breakout," and "international laughingstock."↩
- Liberty Times Net: US Response to Lai's Visit to Eswatini: Taiwan is a Trusted Partner — Liberty Times Net report on the US State Department's official response to Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini, including the original quote "Taiwan is a trusted and capable partner" and the stance against China "should not be politicized."↩
- CNA: Strategic Oil Reserve + Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park Briefing — CNA report on President Lai Ching-te's inspection of the Royal Science and Technology Park on the afternoon of May 3, 2026, featuring two flagships: Strategic Oil Reserve and Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park (TIIP), including briefing details from the Overseas Investment Development Company and Taiwan Engineering Consultants.↩
- United Daily News: Lai Ching-te Defines Eswatini's Largest Cooperation — United Daily News report on Lai Ching-te's quotes on the Strategic Oil Reserve and TIIP, defining them as "the largest-scale and most strategically significant cooperation projects since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries" and "the former guards stability, the latter creates growth," containing the full official discourse.↩
- Wikipedia: 2021 Eswatini protests — Complete timeline of Eswatini's democratization protests from May-July 2021, including the triggering event of law student Thabani Nkomonye, 500 youths taking to the streets in Manzini, the Acting Prime Minister's ban on June 25, nationwide riots from June 28-July 4, HRW confirming 46 deaths, and civilian estimates exceeding one hundred.↩
- Human Rights Watch: Eswatini — No Justice for June 2021 Security Force Violence — Human Rights Watch October 30, 2025, latest report, confirming that as of October 2025, no security force members have been held accountable for the June 2021 violence incidents, including details on family interviews, stagnation of investigation procedures, and international society responses.↩
- International Monetary Fund: Eswatini 2025 Article IV Consultation — IMF 2025 Eswatini Article IV Consultation Report, including complete economic analysis of GDP, unemployment rate (overall 34%, youth 56-58%), poverty rate, SACU distribution, and sugar industry structure.↩
- United Daily News: Lai Ching-te's Return Avoids China's Sensitive Airspace — United Daily News report on Lai Ching-te's return details from May 4-5, 2026, including the aircraft deliberately turning off identity information, taking a southern Indian Ocean route via Indonesia and the Philippines to return to Taiwan, and arrival at Taoyuan Airport at 10:40 AM on May 5.↩