Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian. Photo: China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

We have noticed that the recent visit to Taiwan made by Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini, which is a grave provocation to the one-China principle and China's sovereignty, China is firmly opposed to this behavior, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday. 

Russell Dlamini, the new Prime Minister of the African country Eswatini who was appointed to office on November 3, 2023, arrived in China's Taiwan region on March 18 with a delegation and has met with secessionist leaders Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Ching-te in the following days. 

According to Taiwan-based media, Dlamini has attended business events in the island "to pitch for more Taiwan investment" and discuss details of a fuel storage facility that Taiwan authorities are helping to build in the African country. Taiwan authorities officials thanked Eswatini for "speaking out for Taiwan" at international stage. 

In response, Lin Jian, the spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, expressed strong opposition at a press briefing, describing the visit as a grave provocation to the one-China principle and China's sovereignty.

There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, Lin said, "this is a prevailing international consensus that brooks no challenge."

In terms of the 56 years of the so-called "diplomatic ties" between Taiwan region and Eswatini, Lin said "the people of Eswatini hardly received any tangible benefits and Eswatini's national development hardly achieved any progress." 

"We believe the people of Eswatini know this well. The Taiwan authorities squander the taxpayers' money to support some bigwigs in Eswatini to maintain the so-called diplomatic ties. This kind of relationship is worth nothing to people in Taiwan and in Eswatini," Li said.

According to Lin, after the regional leader election of Taiwan earlier this year, over 180 countries and international organizations reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China principle. Recently, Nauru reestablished diplomatic ties with China, cutting the number of countries that have the so-called "diplomatic ties" with the Taiwan region to only 12.

"Undeniable facts once again show that one China is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends. Certain persons in power in Eswatini run counter to the trend of the times and maintain the so-called diplomatic ties with the Taiwan region. Such moves find no support and will not persist."

We believe that the people of Eswatini will see clearly the truth about "Taiwan independence" and recognize the perils of the deformed "dollar diplomacy" between Taiwan and Eswatini, said the spokesperson. 

We urge certain persons in power in Eswatini to see squarely the prevailing consensus in the international community, refrain from being self-deceptive or deliberately undermining the one-China principle, which is a basic norm governing international relations, and realize their errors and mend their ways as soon as possible, said Lin. 



Global Times