King arrives in Taiwan
HIS Majesty the King has arrived safely in Taiwan accompanied by Inkhosikati Lafogiyane and the local delegation that is to witness the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te, on Monday.
His Majesty was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Joseph Wu.
His Majesty is expected to be one of eight heads of state to attend the inauguration.
According to Taiwan News, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that an estimated 51 foreign delegations with 508 members will attend the May 20 inauguration of President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim.
Of these eight of Taiwan’s 12 diplomatic allies are sending their head of state or head of government.
The guestlist includes King Mswati III of Eswatini, Taiwan’s only ally in Africa; President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay, the only ally in South America; President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands; and President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau. The prime ministers John Briceno of Belize, Philip Pierre of Saint Lucia, Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Feleti Penitala Teo of Tuvalu will also be attending.
The Taiwan MOFA also named Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Hanley of Saint Christopher and Nevis, and Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez of Guatemala as attending.
The Vatican is reportedly planning to send a special envoy, according to MOFA.
The United States of America, Canada and Singapore are also sending delegations, while legislators are expected from the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
The foreign guests have been invited to attend a dinner and a welcome reception on the eve of the inauguration and the official banquet in Tainan City later on Monday.
During this event, Taiwan media has also reported that the largest-ever Taiwan national flag will be making a comeback. The flag which is crafted by the Armaments Bureau’s 209th Factory using parachute fabric, reportedly measures 18 meters by 12 meters, weighing 45 kilograms and is a symbol of the country’s national unity and pride.
Eswatini remains one of the countries maintaining formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a relationship characterized by cooperation and support in various sectors including education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
Lai is taking over reigns from outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen. Ing-wen has been serving as the President of Taiwan since 2016. She is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party. Tsai was the first female president of Taiwan and the second to be born in Taiwan after the end of the Chinese Civil War in December 1949.
The Taiwanese Presidential elections were held on January 13, 2024, as part of the 2024 general elections. Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the incumbent president of Taiwan, was ineligible for re-election due to term limits.
As such, the DPP nominated Vice President Lai Ching-te, who had secured the party chairmanship by acclamation in March 2023. He selected Hsiao Bi-khim, the then-representative to the United States, as his running mate. Lai was elected president with a plurality of 40.05%.
The Kingdom of Eswatini and Taiwan have maintained a robust and enduring diplomatic relationship which is characterized by mutual respect and cooperation. The Kingdom has benefited from various forms of assistance and collaboration, particularly in areas such as healthcare, education, infrastructure development, and technology transfer.
This alliance has seen numerous bilateral agreements which have strengthened economic growth and development in the country, while also providing Taiwan with a supportive partner on the African continent.