Remarks by Minister Dr. Lin Chia-lung at the meeting with Hon. Russell Dlamini, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini

Remarks by Minister Dr. Lin Chia-lung at the meeting with Hon. Russell Dlamini, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini

• Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs
• Date：2025-04-23

Dr. Lin Chia-lung

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Republic of China (Taiwan)

April 23, 2025

(As Prepared for Delivery)

Ladies and gentlemen:

It is a great honor to visit this beautiful country as special envoy of President Lai Ching-te. On behalf of the delegation, I would like to express my gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality that we have received from the people of Eswatini.

Since assuming office, Prime Minister Dlamini has been recognized for his dedication and leadership. The dynamic plan of action launched by his cabinet has received widespread praise for responding to the concerns of the people raised at the Sibaya. He is a young, gifted, and strong leader. The people of Eswatini are lucky to have him as prime minister.

The bond between Taiwan and Eswatini has stood the test of time. Our relationship is rock-solid. The government of Eswatini has strongly supported Taiwan's international participation for many years. This is deeply appreciated by the people and government of Taiwan. In 2024, Prime Minister Dlamini represented His Majesty King Mswati at the UN General Assembly and COP29. I would like to thank him for speaking up for Taiwan at both events.

Ever since becoming foreign minister last May, I have been looking forward to visiting Eswatini. I wanted to see this peaceful and beautiful country for myself. And I also wanted to see the fruitful results of substantive cooperation between our nations.

Taiwan and Eswatini have enjoyed solid diplomatic ties for more than half a century. On the foundation of a robust bilateral cooperation framework, we have continued to work closely in areas such as agriculture, trade, education, health care, and youth and women's empowerment. The impressive outcomes that we have achieved have been widely recognized.

Taiwan has honored its commitment to King Mswati by fully assisting Eswatini with the construction of a strategic oil reserve. The facility will ensure Eswatini's energy security. I am pleased that the project is progressing smoothly. During this visit, I will attend the project unveiling ceremony with King Mswati.

After taking office, I prioritized the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project. By utilizing and integrating various resources, we want to provide comprehensive assistance to Eswatini in development and construction projects. Taiwan is a global leader in ICT and artificial intelligence. With the worldwide AI revolution, Taiwan is assisting Eswatini in promoting a 5G smart city project. This is set to be an important new milestone.

Taiwan is a loyal international ally, development partner, and friend that shares the same values as Eswatini. During my tenure, I will continue to strengthen collaboration between our two countries. Based on the existing foundation of good cooperation, I expect relations to further deepen. Let us keep working together to create a prosperous future that benefits the people of both nations.