Taiwan and Eswatini: Africa's Last Diplomatic Lifeline Hanging on One Person

30-Second Overview: Eswatini (renamed from "Swaziland" in 2018) is Taiwan's only remaining allied nation in Africa. It established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China in September 1968, marking 58 years by 2026. King Mswati III was born in April 1968; five months later, the country gained independence and established diplomatic relations 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 allied nation 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." King Mswati subsequently dispatched Eswatini's Airbus A340 royal aircraft to fly his Deputy Prime Minister, Thulisile Dladla, to Taipei to pick up Lai Ching-te. Lai arrived in Mbabane from Taipei on May 2³. On May 1 of the same year, China granted zero-tariff treatment for 98% of tariff items to 53 African countries, excluding Eswatini specifically⁴. 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 King Mswati III of Eswatini 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, it 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 economically, causing an "air blockade"⁵.

Mswati's move was decisive: He dispatched his Deputy Prime Minister, Thulisile Dladla, to board the royal aircraft from Mbabane to Taipei. On the early morning of May 2, Dladla 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 also recorded this process of arriving in Eswatini via royal aircraft on its official channel.

On May 2, 2026, Lai Ching-te received military honors at Mbabane Airport in Eswatini. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China. OGDL via 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 Protocol Officer Khandlela Mdluli personally received the aircraft. Lai Ching-te received military honors and exchanged greetings one by one with the staff of the Embassy in Eswatini and the families of the Taiwanese technical team⁷. CNA's official channel recorded the full 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's birth name is Makhosetive Dlamini. He 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 king, now 58 years old, has a life that almost completely overlaps with the Taiwan-Eswatini diplomatic relationship. When he was born, there was no relationship with Taiwan; when he came of age, this 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 astonishing. According to records from the Embassy in Eswatini 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 once every two years. No other foreign leader visits Taiwan with such frequency.

Professor Yang Hao of the Institute of East Asian Studies at National Chengchi University pointed out the key 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—just 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."

Being one less out of 53 countries is mathematically just 52/53, but politically it is a naked declaration: "Standing with Taiwan is the cost of being isolated." Feng News cited BBC Chinese's analysis to plainly point out this operational logic¹¹. The official BBC News Chinese 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. The most recent two are São Tomé and Príncipe (2016) and Burkina Faso (2018)¹². In the same month that Burkina Faso broke relations, Tsai Ing-wen visited Eswatini for the first time, and Mswati publicly reiterated the commitment to diplomatic relations in a speech¹³. This was from April 17 to 20, 2018.

In 2023, a subsidiary of China's Hydro China Construction Group won the bid for the Pekisila Dam in Eswatini for $146 million. Feng News cited BBC Chinese's analysis, believing this to be 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 the severance of diplomatic 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 not yet inaugurated. 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 Guavas Enter SUPERSPAR

Lai Ching-te opened his press conference on May 3 with a fruit as a hook: "Red Heart Guavas witness the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini."¹⁴

This guava is not just rhetoric.

The TaiwanICDF (International Cooperation and Development Foundation) Agricultural Technical Team stationed in Eswatini has been operating since 1969. It was initially 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 Guavas of Taiwanese varieties officially entered the supply chains of SUPERSPAR, Eswatini's largest supermarket chain, in its Mbabane and Ezulwini branches¹⁵. 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 that "cooperation looks like this": 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 countries, transcending the static level of "diplomatic gifts."

A Prevalence Rate of 27%

But beyond agriculture and education, healthcare is the heaviest and most concrete aspect of this relationship.

The adult (15-49 years old) HIV prevalence rate in Eswatini 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 stationed 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 neurosurgery; Taipei Medical University physicians serving long-term as the only cardiologists in Eswatini's public hospitals; and providing medical services to over 10,000 patient visits. These are real actions with names, surgical records, and hospital 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 an Eswatini version of HIS (Hospital Information System, benchmarked against Taiwanese standards) and FIRE (Fast Interoperable Resource International Case Format for Medical Care)¹⁵.

The most concrete story is from January 2021. Mswati III contracted COVID-19, and 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 them: "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 African countries 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 successfully suppressing the virus)¹⁸.

Military Honors at Mandvulo Grand Hall

On the morning of May 3, Lai Ching-te held bilateral talks with Mswati III at the Mandvulo Grand Hall of the Lozitha Royal Palace⁷.

On May 3, 2026, Lai Ching-te and Mswati III held bilateral talks at the Mandvulo Grand Hall of the Lozitha Royal Palace. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China. OGDL via 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:

1. Joint Communiqué: Reaffirming "deep friendship, mutual trust, and shared values."
2. Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement: Signed by Taiwan's Foreign Minister, Joseph Wu, and Eswatini's Foreign Minister, Pholile Shakantu⁷.

On May 3, 2026, Taiwan and Eswatini signed the Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement and a Joint Communiqué at the Mandvulo Grand Hall. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China. OGDL via 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 original English press release of the Office of the President):

"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

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" to the head of another democratic nation in his own palace, this meaning is a direct counter-testimony to China's narrative of "Taiwan as a non-sovereign entity." The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently called Lai Ching-te a "rat" and described this behavior as "stealthy external窜" 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 of that day, Lai Ching-te visited the Royal Science and Technology Park to inspect two flagship bilateral cooperation projects: the Strategic Oil Reserve and the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park (TIIP), presented by the Overseas Investment Development Corporation and Taiwan Engineering Consultants²¹. Lai Ching-te positioned these two 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 developmental hope for the future; the former guards stability, and the latter creates growth"²².

This statement gave Lai Ching-te's visit a concrete narrative structure. CNA's official channel also featured a report on Taiwan-Eswatini's largest cooperation: Oil storage and industrial innovation parks have strategic significance.

46 Lives in 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 emerged on the streets of Manzini demanding democratic reforms. On June 25, the Acting Prime Minister issued an order prohibiting protests and submitting petitions. From June 28 to July 4, nationwide riots erupted, buildings were burned, helicopters patrolled the skies, and gunshots rang day and night. Human Rights Watch (HRW) confirmed at least 46 deaths, with civilian estimates exceeding a 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 allied nation in Africa is Africa's last absolute monarchy, and this regime suppressed its own people in 2021.

Writing down 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 lives below the poverty line form a contrast, making them a 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 diplomatic relations is actually not how much money China uses.

It is whether the successor after Mswati can persuade a generation with 56% youth unemployment, who 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 a combination 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 directly related to the US-China game), and the political costs of its foreign relations are relatively borne by the King personally. Mswati's personal will has been strong enough to resist all pressure so far.

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 the successor faces will be completely different from that of 1986 when he was crowned.

After the 46 lives in 2021, the patience of Eswatini's youth 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 identity information, flew a southern Indian Ocean route via Indonesia and the Philippines, avoiding areas close to Chinese airspace and sensitive South China Sea zones, and arrived at Taoyuan Airport at 10:40 AM on May 5²⁶.

The detour shows how tight the environment is. But it was completed.

A Guava and a Question

Back to that Red Heart Guava.

It went from the 1969 technical cooperation agreement to the supermarket 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 in 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 different points on the same narrative line.

What it tells us is: Diplomatic relations fall into 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 prevent this guava's supply chain from disappearing 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.

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 critical 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 diplomatic relations at the time points of 2018 and 2023.
• 318 Student Movement — How the streets of 2014 became the confidence for the system's external discourse in 2024-2025.
• 2026 Zheng-Xi Meeting and the Decade Reunion of KMT and CCP — Contemporaneous cross-strait dynamics, understanding the larger background of China's pressure on Taiwan.
• Cognitive Warfare — A more systematic framework for China's language operations such as "rat" and "stealthy external窜".
• 파라과이와 대만 — 남미의 유일한 수교국, 중국의 압력 속에서 장기 협력으로 관계를 유지하는 또 다른 사례.

Image Sources

This article uses 3 photos from the official press releases of the Office of the President, Republic of China, 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) — On May 2, 2026, President Lai Ching-te received military honors from Eswatini at Mbabane Airport. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China.
• taiwan-eswatini-mandvulo-summit-2026.jpg — On May 3, 2026, Lai Ching-te and Mswati III held bilateral talks at the Mandvulo Grand Hall of the Lozitha Royal Palace. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China.
• taiwan-eswatini-joint-communique-2026.jpg — On May 3, 2026, Taiwan and Eswatini signed the Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement and a Joint Communiqué at the Mandvulo Grand Hall. Photo: Office of the President, Republic of China.

References

1. Wikipedia: Relations between the Republic of China and Eswatini — A 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 reference data.↩
2. Commonwealth Magazine: Nauru Breaks Relations with Taiwan, Allied Nations Drop to 12 — Official records and background analysis of Taiwan's number of 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.↩
3. Office of the President, Republic of China: President Lai Ching-te Arrives in the Kingdom of Eswatini — English press release from the Office of the President on May 2, 2026, including records and official photos of President Lai Ching-te arriving in Mbabane from Taipei via Eswatini's Airbus A340 aircraft, military honor ceremonies, and greetings with staff of the Embassy in Eswatini.↩
4. CNA: President Lai Meets with King Eswatini — CNA official report on May 4, 2026, 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.↩
5. Public Television News Network: Flight Permits Cancelled, Lai Ching-te's Visit Suspended — PTS report on the emergency cancellation on April 21, 2026, of the originally scheduled visit on April 22, including details and analysis of the revocation of flight permits by Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar.↩
6. Al Jazeera: Taiwan leader visits Eswatini despite China's attempts to block trip — Al Jazeera international media report on May 3, 2026, including the international perspective on the "surprise visit" framework, the historical moment of the King lending an aircraft for pickup, and China's reaction.↩
7. Office of the President, Republic of China: President Lai Ching-te Holds Bilateral Talks with King Mswati III of Eswatini — English press release from the Office of the President on May 3, 2026, including the full record of bilateral talks at the Mandvulo Grand Hall of the Lozitha Royal Palace, the signing of the Joint Communiqué and the Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement, core quotes from both heads of state, Lai Ching-te and Mswati III, and official photos.↩
8. Wikipedia: Eswatini–Taiwan relations — English version of the bilateral relations article, including the date of establishing diplomatic relations, chronology of signed agreements, evolution of aid projects, and timeline of pressure from China's poaching efforts.↩
9. Wikipedia: Mswati III — Biography of Mswati III, including birth date April 19, 1968, coronation as the world's youngest reigning monarch on April 25, 1986, constitutional powers of absolute monarchy, listing with Queen Mother Ntfombi as existing absolute monarchs, and records of visits to Taiwan.↩
10. Storm.Mg (citing BBC Chinese): 140 Million Infrastructure Temptation and the Key to Taiwan-Eswatini Relations — Storm.Mg platform reposting a 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.↩
11. Liberty Times Net: BBC Reveals Key to Diplomatic Relations — Liberty Times Net report, recording China's granting of zero tariffs for 98% of tariff items to 53 African countries on May 1, 2026, excluding Eswatini, a naked economic coercion, and the "exchanging infrastructure for diplomatic relations" operation of China's Hydro China Construction Group winning the bid for Eswatini's Pekisila Dam for $146 million in 2023.↩
12. Upmedia: 2 Years After Taiwan-Burkina Faso Break, 4 Nations Switch to Beijing — 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.↩
13. Office of the President, Republic of China: President Tsai Ing-wen's 2018/2023 Eswatini Visit Special — Official press release page for Tsai Ing-wen's two visits to Eswatini, including the bilateral statements and signed agreements from the first visit on April 17-20, 2018, and the second visit on September 5-8, 2023, celebrating the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations.↩
14. United Daily News: Red Heart Guavas Witness Taiwan-Eswatini Friendship — United Daily News report on Lai Ching-te's press conference during his May 3, 2026 visit to Eswatini, including his use of "Red Heart Guavas entering SUPERSPAR" as a concrete hook for the 40+ year achievements of the stationed Agricultural Technical Team, cooperation channels, and details of localized production.↩
15. 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's Agricultural Technical Team in Eswatini, the Taipei Medical University system's medical team, and briefings on the Strategic Oil Reserve and the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park.↩
16. Wikipedia: HIV/AIDS in Eswatini — Complete epidemiological data on HIV in Eswatini, including the 27.2% adult prevalence rate being the highest in the world, gender gaps, geographic distribution, detailed figures by age group, and records of intervention by multilateral international aid organizations.↩
17. Al Jazeera: Eswatini king recovers from COVID-19, takes drugs sent by Taiwan — Al Jazeera report on February 20, 2021, 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.↩
18. The Global Fund: Eswatini meets global 95-95-95 HIV target — Global Fund report on September 14, 2020, recording Eswatini becoming one of the first African countries to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV treatment targets, including analysis of the contribution of multilateral aid combinations such as PEPFAR, Global Fund, and Taiwan.↩
19. NBC News: Taiwan president defiant in Eswatini visit, China calls him 'rat' — NBC News international report on China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaction after Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini in May 2026, including English version records of language operations such as "rat," "stealthy external窜," and "international laughingstock."↩
20. Liberty Times Net: US Response to Lai's Visit to Eswatati: 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."↩
21. CNA: Strategic Oil Reserve + Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park Briefing — CNA report on May 3, 2026, on Lai Ching-te's inspection of the Royal Science and Technology Park in the afternoon, featuring two flagships: the Strategic Oil Reserve and the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park (TIIP), including briefing details from the Overseas Investment Development Corporation and Taiwan Engineering Consultants.↩
22. 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," providing the complete official narrative.↩
23. Wikipedia: 2021 Eswatini protests — Complete timeline of Eswatini's democratization protests from May-July 2021, including the triggering event by law student Thabani Nkomonye, 500 youths emerging on the streets of Manzini, the Acting Prime Minister's ban on June 25, nationwide riots from June 28 to July 4, HRW confirming 46 deaths, and civilian estimates exceeding a hundred.↩
24. Human Rights Watch: Eswatini — No Justice for June 2021 Security Force Violence — Human Rights Watch latest report on October 30, 2025, confirming that no security force members have been held accountable for the June 2021 violence incidents as of October 2025, including details on family interviews, stagnation of investigation procedures, and international society responses.↩
25. International Monetary Fund: Eswatini 2025 Article IV Consultation — IMF 2025 Eswatini Article IV Consultation Report, including complete economic analysis of GDP, unemployment rates (overall 34%, youth 56-58%), poverty rates, SACU distribution, and sugar industry structure.↩
26. United Daily News: Lai Ching-te's Return Avoids China's Sensitive Airspace — United Daily News report on Lai Ching-te's return details on May 4-5, 2026, including the aircraft deliberately turning off identity information, flying a southern Indian Ocean route via Indonesia and the Philippines, and arriving at Taoyuan Airport at 10:40 AM on May 5.↩