MBABANE – The visit by Taiwan President Dr Lai Ching-te is set to further security goals as well as digital and economic prosperity between the two States.
This is according to Taiwan’s Presidential Office (PO) when communicating that their head of State would be visiting Eswatini for the first time.
President Lai Ching-te will lead a delegation to Eswatini April 22-26 to mark the 58th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and emphasise Taiwan’s commitment to implementing the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, according to the PO.
PO Spokesperson Karen Kuo, in a press conference held on Monday, said the visit was expected to focus on collaborations furthering security goals, as well as digital and economic prosperity.
She was quoted by Taiwan Today, which is an official English-language news portal that functions as a prominent online source for news on Taiwan’s political, economic and cultural developments, managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Kuo is said to have added that Taiwan is committed to using its technological expertise to help Eswatini develop smart medicine and telemedicine systems.
It is said she mentioned that Eswatini’s membership in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are important factors in the kingdom’s stable investment climate.
Taiwan Today reports that Kuo also said an industry innovation park that will facilitate the integration of Taiwanese businesses with the African market and create job opportunities in Eswatini is in the planning stages and will be integrated into the campus of the Royal Science and Technology Park.
The publication reported that Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister François Chih-chung Wu also spoke at the news conference and shared that the president’s itinerary would include celebratory events marking His Majesty King Mswati III’s birthday and the 40th anniversary of his coronation, as well as a meeting with the Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala.
The deputy minister was also quoted as having said President Lai would sign a joint communique and witness the inking of a customs agreement between the foreign ministers of both countries, among other ceremonies and events.
It is worth noting that the Times of Eswatini reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirmed the visit in its social media pages.
“The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini warmly welcomes the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lai Ching-te, on his historic first visit to the kingdom on 22 April 2026.”
His Majesty King Mswati III and Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te in 2024.