Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) led a special delegation to Eswatini on behalf of President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to celebrate the birthday of King Mswati III this coming Friday. After arriving he was met by many overseas Taiwanese and held a dinner to thank them for their continued support.
Foreign Minister Lin arrived in Eswatini Tuesday afternoon, local time, where he was met by his Swazi counterpart Pholile Shakantu, demonstrating the country’s special regard for Taiwan’s special envoy delegation. While the main purpose of his visit is to attend the celebration, Lin says he also plans to attend meetings on bilateral ties and projects– including the launch of a new oil storage project.
Eswatini is the only country on the African continent to officially recognize Taiwan, and the two countries have maintained a close friendship since establishing diplomatic ties in 1968, as noted by Lin on social media.
Lin was also met by over 100 overseas Taiwanese upon his arrival from both Eswatini and neighboring African countries, whom he later joined at a banquet. Addressing the group during the event, he thanked them for continuing to pass on Taiwan’s warmth and kindness through their hard work. He also extended greetings on behalf of the president, expressing admiration for their efforts. Lin said that the government looks forward to continuing to work with the overseas compatriots to help Eswatini reach its goal of becoming a prosperous nation.
The foreign minister will continue to share the progress of his special envoy mission over social media, to better help Taiwanese understand Taiwan's international efforts.