China has urged its citizens and institutions to leave Eswatini “as soon as possible,” targeting the Southern African nation that remains one of the few states globally—and the sole country in Africa—to maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
While Chinese authorities officially attributed the advisory to deteriorating public safety and security risks, the announcement follows heightened political friction after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visited the kingdom three months ago.
According to a security notice issued by the consular service of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the public safety environment in Eswatini has become increasingly complex, citing frequent criminal activity involving illegal online gambling and telecommunications fraud. Consequently, Beijing advised Chinese nationals against traveling to the country in the near term while instructing those currently residing in Eswatini to arrange their departure promptly.
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Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, serves as Taiwan’s last remaining diplomatic ally on the African continent. Taiwan currently retains formal diplomatic recognition from just 12 states worldwide, including the Vatican, Paraguay, and a small group of nations in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
Beijing maintains its long-standing stance that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory and rejects formal diplomatic engagements between foreign governments and Taipei. The Chinese government has steadily increased diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on Taiwan since 2016, leading several former allies to shift formal recognition to Beijing in recent years.
