President Lai's visit sparks 'Taiwan whirlwind' in Eswatini, people praise enduring friendship
President Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini ignited a 'Taiwan whirlwind' as local residents warmly welcomed him and expressed gratitude for Taiwan's long-term assistance, reaffirming the strong bilateral friendship.
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- 📰 Published: May 4, 2026 at 11:49
- 🔍 Collected: May 4, 2026 at 12:01 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 4, 2026 at 12:05 (3 min after Collected)
President Lai Ching-te's visit to African ally Eswatini has sparked a "Taiwan whirlwind" in the local area. Eswatini residents have expressed their warm welcome to President Lai from afar and thanked Taiwan for its long-term assistance to Eswatini. A young boy said, "I've watched many videos about Taiwan and I think Taiwan is really cool! It's so exciting that President Lai is coming!"
President Lai arrived in Eswatini on the 2nd, and King Mswati III of Eswatini thanked Taiwan for its long-standing support, stating that "Taiwan is a true friend and partner" and will continue to firmly support Taiwan's international participation. The two major mainstream newspaper groups in the local area reported on President Lai's visit extensively on their front pages.
On the 3rd local time, President Lai visited the Eswatini International Convention Centre (ICC). In addition to enjoying traditional welcome song and dance performances, he also toured the exhibition and various facilities of the International Convention Centre, accompanied by the King, several royal family members, and Eswatini cabinet officials.
CNA reporters interviewed several local residents outside the venue. A businesswoman in the local area excitedly stated, "We are very happy that the President of Taiwan has come to Eswatini! Taiwan is a good friend of ours, especially through the support of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), which has given our businesses the opportunity to showcase products in Taiwan, which has greatly helped our organizations."
In addition to economic and trade exchanges, Taiwan's contributions to Eswatini's infrastructure and medical care have also been highly praised. A young woman said that Taiwan has helped build much infrastructure and provided transportation resources for medical services, and she sincerely thanked President Lai for coming from afar, firmly believing that the President will love Eswatini's newly completed International Convention Centre.
Outside the ICC venue, dancers in traditional costumes said, "President Lai is the King's guest, and we are dancing here both to welcome visitors and for the King. We are very proud to welcome distinguished guests with our own culture!"
A woman who has lived in Eswatini for 25 years said she was glad to see people from many different countries participating in the event and hoped for more development and cooperation between Taiwan and Eswatini in the future, given President Lai's long journey.
A young Eswatini boy excitedly said, "I've watched many videos about Taiwan and I think Taiwan is really cool! It's so exciting that President Lai is coming!"
Eswatini residents warmly welcomed President Lai's visit and thanked Taiwan for its long-term substantive contributions.
The U.S. Department of State stated on the 3rd that Taiwan is a trusted and capable partner for the United States and many countries, and that the Taiwanese president's visit to Eswatini is a routine visit and should not be politicized. The Wall Street Journal reported that Taiwan, facing suppression from China and seeking international recognition, has surprisingly gained an upper hand in this contest of wills. (Editors: Chen Yen-chun/Tang Pei-chun) 1150504
President Lai arrived in Eswatini on the 2nd, and King Mswati III of Eswatini thanked Taiwan for its long-standing support, stating that "Taiwan is a true friend and partner" and will continue to firmly support Taiwan's international participation. The two major mainstream newspaper groups in the local area reported on President Lai's visit extensively on their front pages.
On the 3rd local time, President Lai visited the Eswatini International Convention Centre (ICC). In addition to enjoying traditional welcome song and dance performances, he also toured the exhibition and various facilities of the International Convention Centre, accompanied by the King, several royal family members, and Eswatini cabinet officials.
CNA reporters interviewed several local residents outside the venue. A businesswoman in the local area excitedly stated, "We are very happy that the President of Taiwan has come to Eswatini! Taiwan is a good friend of ours, especially through the support of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), which has given our businesses the opportunity to showcase products in Taiwan, which has greatly helped our organizations."
In addition to economic and trade exchanges, Taiwan's contributions to Eswatini's infrastructure and medical care have also been highly praised. A young woman said that Taiwan has helped build much infrastructure and provided transportation resources for medical services, and she sincerely thanked President Lai for coming from afar, firmly believing that the President will love Eswatini's newly completed International Convention Centre.
Outside the ICC venue, dancers in traditional costumes said, "President Lai is the King's guest, and we are dancing here both to welcome visitors and for the King. We are very proud to welcome distinguished guests with our own culture!"
A woman who has lived in Eswatini for 25 years said she was glad to see people from many different countries participating in the event and hoped for more development and cooperation between Taiwan and Eswatini in the future, given President Lai's long journey.
A young Eswatini boy excitedly said, "I've watched many videos about Taiwan and I think Taiwan is really cool! It's so exciting that President Lai is coming!"
Eswatini residents warmly welcomed President Lai's visit and thanked Taiwan for its long-term substantive contributions.
The U.S. Department of State stated on the 3rd that Taiwan is a trusted and capable partner for the United States and many countries, and that the Taiwanese president's visit to Eswatini is a routine visit and should not be politicized. The Wall Street Journal reported that Taiwan, facing suppression from China and seeking international recognition, has surprisingly gained an upper hand in this contest of wills. (Editors: Chen Yen-chun/Tang Pei-chun) 1150504