March 19, 2024
No. 100
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu hosted a dinner banquet at the Taipei Guest House on March 19 to welcome a delegation from the Kingdom of Eswatini led by Prime Minister Russell Dlamini and his spouse and to express appreciation for Eswatini’s staunch support of the two countries’ diplomatic alliance and Taiwan’s international participation over the years.
Speaking at the event, Minister Wu noted that this year marked the 56th year of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Eswatini. He commended the two countries’ close collaboration in agriculture, education, trade, energy, health care, women’s empowerment, and other domains. He stated that the cordial relations between the two sides were also reflected in high-level mutual visits and interactions, citing Prime Minister Dlamini’s leading a delegation to Taiwan just four months after assuming office in November as the best testament to the rock-solid friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini.
Minister Wu further said that Eswatini had long backed Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, adding that he had been deeply touched by the warm friendship shown by King Mswati III, Prime Minister Dlamini, and other high-level Eswatini officials in continuing to speak up for Taiwan at various international forums.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Dlamini thanked the Taiwan government and Minister Wu for the warm hospitality. He especially mentioned that he had been honored to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen that morning and that he had thanked her in person for her unwavering support to Eswatini during her tenure, which the people of Eswatini would forever remember. He stated that the Eswatini government had every confidence that the 55-plus years of diplomatic relations between the two countries would grow ever stronger under the leadership of President-elect Lai Ching-te.
Other guests attending the banquet included Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi; Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Remus Li-kuo Chen; Secretary General of the International Cooperation and Development Fund Charles C. Li; Ambassador to Eswatini Jeremy H. S. Liang; Chairman of CPC Corporation, Taiwan Lee Shun-chin; Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the Republic of China Tai Teng-shan; and General Manager of the Overseas Investment and Development Corporation Jeff Chung. Attendees at the dinner engaged in extensive discussions on Taiwan-Eswatini collaboration in such areas as energy, e-commerce, clean energy, and countermeasures against disinformation.
The diplomatic partnership between Taiwan and Eswatini, established in 1968 following Eswatini’s independence, is now in its 56th year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will maintain close cooperation with the government of Eswatini, building on a long-standing and solid foundation to steadily promote cooperative endeavors based on reciprocity and mutual benefit, enhance the well-being of peoples of both countries, and further consolidate the bilateral diplomatic alliance. (E)