President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is to visit Eswatini next month to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the independence of Taiwan’s African diplomatic ally, the government announced yesterday, adding it is pure coincidence that the trip coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) visit to South Africa this week for the BRICS summit.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of Eswatini’s independence, the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and its only remaining diplomatic ally in Africa, and the 55th birthday of King Mswati III of Eswatini, Presidential Office spokeswoman Olivia Lin (林聿禪) told a news conference.
As a solid ally, Eswatini has long spoken out for Taiwan in the international arena and strongly supports its meaningful participation in international organizations, Lin said.
Photo: CNA
The two countries have cooperated closely in key areas such as infrastructure, public health, education, information and communications, and agriculture and food security, she said.
Mswati III has visited Taiwan 18 times since he took the throne in 1986, which demonstrates the close and friendly relationship between the two sides, she said.
At the invitation of Mswati III, Tsai is to lead a delegation to visit Eswatini from Sept. 5 to 8 to show that Taiwan values the firm friendship with Eswatini and to bolster bilateral cooperation, Lin said.
On her second trip to Eswatini as president, Tsai is to meet the king on the day she arrives, Lin said.
The delegation is to participate in independence celebrations on Sept. 6 and attend a state banquet held by Mswati III at night, she said.
Before returning to Taiwan on Sept. 7, Tsai is to meet with Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala as well as Taiwanese medical and technical missions, Lin said.
Tsai is also to learn about the implementation of cooperation programs between Taiwan and Eswatini in public healthcare and women’s empowerment, she said.
In addition to celebrating the ties between the two nations, Tsai hopes that the trip heralds sustainable cooperation on the basis of mutual assistance and mutual benefit that contribute to the well-being of people on both sides, Lin said.
Other delegation members are to include Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花), Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青), Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roy Chun Lee (李淳), Lin said.
Asked whether Tsai’s trip is intended to show “a sign of rivalry” between Taiwan and China, as Xi arrived in South Africa on Monday to attend the BRICS summit, Lee replied that the two leaders visiting Africa so close together was a coincidence.
Eswatini’s Independence Day falls on Sept. 6, so Tsai’s trip is arranged accordingly, he said.
As for why Chen is to join the delegation, Lee said that Taiwan not only cooperates with Eswatini at the federal level, but also promotes cooperation between local governments.
Chen is to sign an agreement formalizing sister city relations between Kaohsiung and Mbabane, the country’s capital, the city said in a press release yesterday.
The city sees considerable potential to strengthen cooperation with Mbabane in bilingual education, teachers and youth exchanges, and smart agriculture, it said.
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