Another day, another big humiliation for William Lai Ching-te. The Taiwanese leader effectively had to cancel a visit to eSwatini, the island’s last partner in Africa, for the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne and his 58th birthday.
Taiwan said the visit was “postponed” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar cancelled their previously approved overflight permission without warning.
Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) functionaries, of course, blamed it on pressure from Beijing. Maybe the three African nations just don’t want to have anything to do with an undesirable like Lai. Eswatini’s loyalty may be admirable, or is it just pigheadedness? It’s about time, though, it follows everyone else on the continent and establishes formal diplomatic relations with Beijing.
Foreign critics sometimes laud eSwatini, previously Swaziland, for its steadfast support of the Taiwanese island since its independence from Britain in 1968. But whatever foreign aid it has been receiving from Taiwan, the mainland can multiply it. Perhaps eSwatini should remember Groucho Marx’s quip about never joining a club that would have him as a member.
Being a select club of just 12 states – many of them with tiny territories and little international influence – that still recognise Taiwan is not exactly a winsome formula for national advancement.
The others are: Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Vatican City. Many maintain ties with Taiwan only because of pressure from Washington.
The Holy See is the exception, as it does enjoy enormous international prestige despite its being a city state within a city. Consider, for example, how practically the entire world has supported the pontiff’s war of words with US President Donald Trump over the illegal war jointly launched with Israel against Iran.
