The situation regarding Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te’s trip to the African diplomatic ally Eswatini (referred to as Swaziland in Taiwan) faced new developments after previous setbacks. On Saturday (May 2), Lai posted on social media, stating that he had arrived in Eswatini for a visit. Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of Mainland China’s official media Global Times, wrote that Lai Ching-te had “lowered his face” and astonishingly ‘broke out’ of Taiwan.
On Saturday, Lai Ching-te posted on Facebook that he had arrived in Eswatini for the visit. He wrote in the post: “The originally scheduled tour on April 22 was postponed due to unexpected external factors. After meticulous arrangements by our diplomatic and national security teams over several days, we have successfully arrived today.”
That evening, Hu Xijin wrote on Weibo that Lai Ching-te had actually used a top-secret method and took the Eswatini King’s private jet to pass through the blockade. He continued, saying that at the end of last month, it was first reported that Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar had refused permission for Lai Ching-te’s plane to fly over their airspace, then it was reported that Germany and the Czech Republic in Europe also refused requests for Lai Ching-te to bypass Africa’s east coast.
Hu Xijin stated that Lai Ching-te had faced a predicament of having nowhere to go for his “sneaky” visit to Eswatini, “Moreover, this incident provides a milestone demonstration for the international community on blocking Lai Ching-te from making foreign visits in his capacity as Taiwan’s regional leader.” The routes for Lai’s visit were cut off one by one, making Taiwan look like a “prison” detaining Lai Ching-te.
Hu Xijin further said that nobody expected Lai Ching-te to “lower himself” so much as to escape Taiwan in such a jaw-dropping manner. He quoted Taiwanese media, stating that on Friday (May 1), Lai Ching-te still attended Mother’s Day events, but the very next day he had suddenly arrived in Eswatini.
In his post, Hu Xijin wrote that looking back, Lai Ching-te had clearly used a sleight of hand, “sneaking about like a real thief.” He added that this clandestine border-crossing–style visit is probably unprecedented globally, and that legitimate leaders could never even imagine doing such a thing, “Even if someone suggested such a shady move, no proper leader would have the face to do it. Therefore, Lai Ching-te’s secretive visit did nothing to elevate Taiwan’s political status, but simply made the world see even more clearly how shabby, contemptible, and desperate ‘Taiwan independence’ is on the international political stage.”
Hu Xijin concluded by saying that Lai Ching-te finally “smuggled himself” into Eswatini, “But how will he leave? Will he get stuck in Eswatini and not be able to return? If that happens, it would be even more interesting.”
Lai Ching-te had originally planned last week to visit Eswatini for a celebration event. But just before the trip, the Taiwanese Presidential Office announced that, due to pressure from Beijing, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar canceled overflight permits for Lai Ching-te’s plane. After a security assessment, the trip was postponed and a special envoy was dispatched to attend instead.
According to Bloomberg, Taiwan also urgently requested transit via Germany and the Czech Republic, but was refused by both countries.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung subsequently traveled to Eswatini as a special envoy to attend the celebration, while Eswatini’s Deputy Prime Minister Dlamini visited Taiwan as a special envoy on April 30.
According to United Daily News, although the Taiwanese Presidential Office did not announce travel details, objective evidence suggests that Lai Ching-te took the same plane as Dlamini, who visited Taiwan, to reach Eswatini. The plane departed Taoyuan International Airport at 12:37 a.m. on Saturday, and arrived at 2:58 p.m. Taipei time.
State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua criticized that Lai Ching-te “sneaked off to Eswatini in a sneaky, thieving manner,” and that the so-called “diplomatic achievement” they contrived was “nothing but a trick, a laughingstock to the world.”
Chen Binhua also said that upholding the One China Principle is the will of the people, the general trend, and the moral righteousness of the international community, “Lai Ching-te’s disgraceful conduct, like a rat crossing the street, will be ridiculed by the world.”
In response, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council replied Saturday night that the President of the Republic of China can go wherever he wants without the consent of the People’s Republic of China. “The Taiwan Affairs Office’s ranting is the height of nonsense.”
That evening, Hu Xijin wrote on Weibo that Lai Ching-te had actually used a top-secret method and took the Eswatini King’s private jet to pass through the blockade. He continued, saying that at the end of last month, it was first reported that Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar had refused permission for Lai Ching-te’s plane to fly over their airspace, then it was reported that Germany and the Czech Republic in Europe also refused requests for Lai Ching-te to bypass Africa’s east coast.
Hu Xijin stated that Lai Ching-te had faced a predicament of having nowhere to go for his “sneaky” visit to Eswatini, “Moreover, this incident provides a milestone demonstration for the international community on blocking Lai Ching-te from making foreign visits in his capacity as Taiwan’s regional leader.” The routes for Lai’s visit were cut off one by one, making Taiwan look like a “prison” detaining Lai Ching-te.
Hu Xijin further said that nobody expected Lai Ching-te to “lower himself” so much as to escape Taiwan in such a jaw-dropping manner. He quoted Taiwanese media, stating that on Friday (May 1), Lai Ching-te still attended Mother’s Day events, but the very next day he had suddenly arrived in Eswatini.
In his post, Hu Xijin wrote that looking back, Lai Ching-te had clearly used a sleight of hand, “sneaking about like a real thief.” He added that this clandestine border-crossing–style visit is probably unprecedented globally, and that legitimate leaders could never even imagine doing such a thing, “Even if someone suggested such a shady move, no proper leader would have the face to do it. Therefore, Lai Ching-te’s secretive visit did nothing to elevate Taiwan’s political status, but simply made the world see even more clearly how shabby, contemptible, and desperate ‘Taiwan independence’ is on the international political stage.”
Hu Xijin concluded by saying that Lai Ching-te finally “smuggled himself” into Eswatini, “But how will he leave? Will he get stuck in Eswatini and not be able to return? If that happens, it would be even more interesting.”
Lai Ching-te had originally planned last week to visit Eswatini for a celebration event. But just before the trip, the Taiwanese Presidential Office announced that, due to pressure from Beijing, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar canceled overflight permits for Lai Ching-te’s plane. After a security assessment, the trip was postponed and a special envoy was dispatched to attend instead.
According to Bloomberg, Taiwan also urgently requested transit via Germany and the Czech Republic, but was refused by both countries.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung subsequently traveled to Eswatini as a special envoy to attend the celebration, while Eswatini’s Deputy Prime Minister Dlamini visited Taiwan as a special envoy on April 30.
According to United Daily News, although the Taiwanese Presidential Office did not announce travel details, objective evidence suggests that Lai Ching-te took the same plane as Dlamini, who visited Taiwan, to reach Eswatini. The plane departed Taoyuan International Airport at 12:37 a.m. on Saturday, and arrived at 2:58 p.m. Taipei time.
State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua criticized that Lai Ching-te “sneaked off to Eswatini in a sneaky, thieving manner,” and that the so-called “diplomatic achievement” they contrived was “nothing but a trick, a laughingstock to the world.”
Chen Binhua also said that upholding the One China Principle is the will of the people, the general trend, and the moral righteousness of the international community, “Lai Ching-te’s disgraceful conduct, like a rat crossing the street, will be ridiculed by the world.”
In response, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council replied Saturday night that the President of the Republic of China can go wherever he wants without the consent of the People’s Republic of China. “The Taiwan Affairs Office’s ranting is the height of nonsense.”