Taiwan leader makes delayed visit to Eswatini after China objections

“And no country has the right and no country should ever block Taiwan from contributing more to the world,” he added.

Earlier Saturday, China’s foreign ministry accused Lai of making a “stowaway-style escape farce” that made him “an international laughing stock”.

“No matter how the DPP authorities collude with external forces … it is all in vain and cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China,” an unnamed spokesperson said in a statement on the ministry’s website, referring to Lai’s party.

“We urge Eswatini and other individual countries to see clearly the general trend of history … and not pull chestnuts out of the fire for a handful of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists,” the statement said. 

Eswatini, a small enclave kingdom formerly known as Swaziland, is one of 12 countries that still recognise Taiwan. China has persuaded other nations to break diplomatic ties with the self-ruled island, which it claims as part of its territory.

Lai was due in Eswatini in April for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne, but cancelled the visit after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked overflight permissions, “unexpectedly and without notice”, according to his office.