Dr. Lin Chia-lung
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
October 30, 2025
(As Prepared for Delivery)
The Hon. Manoma Vusie Masango, National Commissioner of the Royal Eswatini Police Service;
Distinguished guests;
Dear colleagues:
It is a great honor to welcome Commissioner Masango on behalf of the people and government of the ROC (Taiwan). Since your first visit in 1999, Taiwan has undergone profound changes. I trust you will find the transformation both impressive and meaningful.
Today we are gathered to recognize your outstanding contributions to advancing cooperation in police affairs between Taiwan and Eswatini and to further cementing the bonds between our nations. It is my great privilege to present to you the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy. This award reflects our sincere appreciation for your unstinting efforts to strengthen our partnership.
Eswatini is Taiwan’s most steadfast ally in Africa. For 57 years, our nations have stood side by side. Eswatini has consistently backed Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the international community. I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to His Majesty King Mswati III, the Eswatini government, and you personally for your unwavering support. Looking ahead, we hope that Eswatini will continue to advocate for Taiwan’s inclusion in INTERPOL at the 93rd General Assembly in Morocco later this year.
Your own career reflects the spirit of cooperation. In 1999, while attending a training course on bomb disposal in Taiwan, you witnessed the professionalism of our police. Building on that experience, and under your leadership, three Eswatini police officers received advanced training in explosive ordnance disposal in Taiwan this past February. And since 2024, two Eswatini police officers have been admitted to master’s degree programs at Central Police University, at which they will improve their investigation and crime prevention skills.
Eswatini has also been heavily involved in our other capacity building programs, including the National Development Course as well as workshops held under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework and by our International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF). That Eswatini has participated so enthusiastically highlights your nation’s commitment to nurturing future generations and the belief that cultivating talent is the foundation of national progress.
We also appreciate Eswatini’s participation in international police conferences hosted by Taiwan, such as the International Forum on Police Cooperation and the Taiwan-Western Asia and Africa Forum on Regional Security and Transnational Crime. As Taiwan remains outside INTERPOL, the voice of allies like Eswatini enables us to engage meaningfully in coordinated global police work. Your assistance is greatly cherished.
Allow me also to commend the achievements of your daughter, Ms. Vukile Masango, who received a TaiwanICDF scholarship in 2015 and earned a degree from National Cheng Kung University in civil engineering. Her pursuit of excellence continued with a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering at NCKU, completed in June 2024. Today, she is making contributions to Taiwan’s offshore wind power sector. Her success is a shining example of our cooperation on talent development.
Commissioner Masango, in closing, I once again welcome you and wish you a fruitful, rewarding stay. I also extend my best wishes to your daughter for a bright future here in Taiwan. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast: to enduring friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini, and to the prosperity and well-being of the kingdom and its people.
Thank you.