President Lai Postpones Eswatini Visit; KMT: Unrelated to Zheng-Xi Meeting

(Central News Agency, Taipei, April 21) President Lai Ching-te was originally scheduled to visit Eswatini on the 22nd, but the Presidential Office held an emergency press conference today to announce that the President's visit would be postponed. Yin Nai-ching, chairperson of the Kuomintang (KMT) Culture and Communication Committee, urged mainland China to exercise restraint, reduce pressure, and provide diplomatic space for the government of the Republic of China; she also stated that the postponement of the President's visit to Eswatini was unrelated to the 'Zheng-Xi meeting'.

President Lai was originally scheduled to visit Eswatini on the 22nd. On the eve of his departure, the Presidential Office held an emergency press conference at 6 PM. Pan Men-an, Secretary-General of the Presidential Office, pointed out that the President's visit would be postponed because three countries, including Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar, unexpectedly canceled the flight permits for the special plane without prior notice.

The KMT also issued a press release, in which Yin Nai-ching expressed deep regret over President Lai's postponement of his visit to Eswatini, the Republic of China's only diplomatic ally in Africa. The KMT urged mainland China to exercise restraint, reduce pressure, and provide diplomatic space for the government of the Republic of China. She noted that former President Ma Ying-jeou's 'flexible diplomacy' promoted a cross-strait 'diplomatic truce,' and during his tenure, the Republic of China had 22 diplomatic allies, illustrating the critical importance of maintaining communication channels across the Taiwan Strait.

Yin Nai-ching stated that KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wen met with CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping on the 10th in the East Hall of the Great Hall of the People. She added that from former President Tsai Ing-wen to President Lai, 10 diplomatic allies were lost before the 'Zheng-Xi meeting,' and President Lai's visit to Eswatini being forced to postpone is unrelated to the 'Zheng-Xi meeting.' (Editors: Yang Kai-hsiang, Su Lung-chi) 1150421

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