Taiwan's President Tsai begins visit to remaining ally Eswatini in southern Africa
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has begun a four-day trip to Eswatini, one of the island’s 13 remaining allies
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday began a four-day trip to Eswatini, one of the island's 13 remaining allies.
Tsai, who is serving her last year as president, is visiting the country of 1.1 million people in southern Africa to “celebrate the friendship between the two countries,” she said, as she departed Taiwan.
Since Tsai took office in 2016, China has started putting pressure on countries that have a diplomatic relationship with Taiwan to switch their formal recognition from Taiwan to China. Beijing has successfully poached 9 countries, leaving Taiwan with just 13 countries that acknowledge its statehood.
Taiwan’s most recent diplomatic loss was Hondura s, which switched recognition to Beijing in March.
Taiwan is a self-ruled island claimed by China. The two sides have been at odds since 1949 when the Communist Party won in the civil war against the Nationalists. The Nationalists fled to Taiwan and set up government on the island.
China today demands its allies agree to its One China principle, which claims that Taiwan is a part of the People's Republic of China.
Tsai belongs to a political party that states Taiwan is already independent.
“Diplomacy is the accumulation of step by step. Taiwan's steps onto the globe not only will not stop,” she said. “We will continue forward more resolutely, with self confidence, to let the world see Taiwan's steady and good power.”
Tsai is also accompanied by the mayor of the port city of Kaohsiung in Taiwan’s south.
Eswatini is an absolute monarchy, and most of the country's population live below the poverty line. It was rocked by pro-democracy protests in 2021, but those protests were put down violently, per reports.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.