Eswatini Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pholile Shakantu yesterday reaffirmed her country’s solid ties with Taiwan and support for its international participation during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Shakantu is the first foreign minister to visit Taiwan since the nation’s presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 13, as well as the first official from Eswatini’s new Cabinet, which was formed in November last year.
She congratulated Taiwan on successfully holding peaceful, fair, transparent and efficient elections last month, adding that the high turnout demonstrated Taiwanese confidence in the electoral system and their commitment to democratic values.
Photo: CNA
She also thanked Taiwan for its assistance in healthcare, education, agriculture and technology, which significantly contributed to the socioeconomic development of Eswatini and the well-being of its people.
Eswatini firmly supports Taiwan and is strongly committed to upholding the principles of sovereignty, self-determination and international solidarity, she said.
Taiwan should be able to participate fully and equally in international society, she said, adding that Eswatini would continue to voice support for the international space Taiwan deserves.
Shakantu commended Tsai for promoting diplomatic relations, trade and human rights despite external pressure, which has earned Taiwan recognition from the world.
Tsai’s tenure has been a source of inspiration for the people of Taiwan and would continue to inspire future generations, she said.
Tsai thanked Eswatini for its long support for the nation’s international participation, including its support at the UN General Assembly and the World Health Assembly.
With a good bilateral cooperation mechanism, Taiwan and Eswatini have achieved fruitful cooperation results in economy, trade, public health and information and communications, creating benefits for the people of both sides, she said.
During her visit to Eswatini in September last year, she witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on funding for female entrepreneurs in Eswatini, a sister city agreement between Kaohsiung and Mbabane, and an MOU on building oil reserve facilities in Eswatini, which all helped enhance the friendship between the two countries, Tsai said.
Tsai hoped that the delegation would gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan through the visit and wished to see the two sides continue to deepen their partnership in various fields.
Shakantu met with president-elect William Lai (賴清德) and attended a banquet held by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Thursday. Her delegation is scheduled to conclude its five-day visit tomorrow.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS