MOFA: South African Media Falsely Accuses Taiwan of Manipulating Eswatini Ties, Collaboration with China Evident

Central News Agency reporter Yang Yao-ju, Taipei, June 16

In response to renewed accusations by South African media outlet Swaziland News regarding Taiwan's cooperation with Eswatini, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a strong condemnation today, denouncing the outlet for fabricating false claims without factual basis. MOFA emphasized that the outlet's editor recently visited China and met with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons, making their 'collaboration' with China self-evident.

In an evening press release, MOFA stated that domestic media cited Swaziland News' June 13 report alleging that Taiwan's Ambassador to Eswatini, Liang Hong-sheng, lobbied members of Eswatini's parliament to initiate a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Russell Dlamini. The report further claimed that Taiwan provided rice and other material aid to help parliamentarians win elections, thereby safeguarding Taiwan-Eswatini relations within the legislature.

MOFA issued a stern rebuttal, stating that Swaziland News has long engaged in systematic dissemination of false and misleading information targeting both the Eswatini government and Taiwan's embassy in the country. The outlet, MOFA said, disregards journalistic ethics and has willingly become a tool for China, clearly aiming to undermine mutual trust and diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Eswatini. MOFA highlighted that the outlet's editor-in-chief, Zweli Martin Dlamini, was invited to visit China in mid-May and met with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, further demonstrating the outlet's 'collaborative' relationship with China.

MOFA noted that prior to President Lai's visit to Eswatini earlier this year, the same media outlet falsely accused Ambassador Liang of involvement in multiple corruption cases, attacking Taiwan's diplomatic efforts with fabricated claims. More recently, as Taiwan-Eswatini relations have deepened following President Lai's visit, the outlet has continued publishing false reports in an attempt to sow division. MOFA has repeatedly issued strong rebuttals and condemnations.

MOFA emphasized that high-level exchanges between Taiwan and Eswatini are frequent and close, with bilateral relations firmly built on mutual trust and mutual respect for sovereignty. The current allegations by Swaziland News are entirely baseless and devoid of factual evidence, warranting renewed strong condemnation.

MOFA expressed its strongest condemnation against China's persistent and malicious attempts to discredit Taiwan's partnerships with its allies through specific media channels and information networks, aiming to erode international confidence in Taiwan's diplomatic work. MOFA urged the public not to be misled or divided by biased and unsubstantiated media reports, cautioning against inadvertently becoming conduits for specific forces conducting cognitive warfare.

MOFA called on all parties to seriously recognize and jointly condemn China's disinformation supply chain, which operates under the guise of press and speech freedoms while engaging in harmful actions that damage democratic systems and violate journalistic ethics. (Edited by Tsai Szu-chia) 1150616

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