Dr. Lin Chia-lung
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
April 24, 2025
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Ladies and gentlemen:
In the digital era, the spread of disinformation has become a global challenge. False and malicious information can mislead the public, disrupt social harmony, and undermine trust in government. That is why governments take the threat of disinformation very seriously and are actively seeking remedies.
According to international research, for 11 consecutive years Taiwan has been the country most severely affected by foreign disinformation attacks. We face external disinformation threats every day. However, this has enabled Taiwan to accumulate extensive experience in countering and managing disinformation. This knowledge can be useful to Eswatini.
Taiwan is more than willing to share its experiences with Eswatini in such areas as enhancing media literacy, developing fact-checking mechanisms, and organizing public-private sector cooperation to combat disinformation. I am honored to be representing Taiwan in signing this memorandum of understanding with Eswatini on countering information manipulation and promoting information integrity. The MOU will establish a framework for cooperation between our countries in this field. Going forward, Taiwan and Eswatini will work closely together to jointly strengthen our ability to identify and counter disinformation. We will do this through experience sharing, technical exchanges, and professional training.
Accurate information is a cornerstone of social stability. It is also vital to national unity and development. I expect this cooperation to strengthen our resilience against disinformation. It will make us better at verifying facts, quickly clarifying rumors, and curbing the spread of fake news. Ultimately, this will contribute to social stability and national development.
This partnership demonstrates the commitment of Taiwan and Eswatini to combating information manipulation and ensuring public access to accurate information. It symbolizes the deep friendship between our nations. It also shows that our cooperation is developing to keep up with the times. By working together, our countries will continue to prosper together.
In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Eswatini for facilitating the signing of this MOU. I look forward to further deepening bilateral relations between Taiwan and Eswatini and continuing to work with you to uphold information accuracy and maintain social stability. Thank you!