President Lai attends state banquet hosted by King Mswati III, cultural performances, and fireworks display

On the evening of May 3 local time (early morning of May 4 Taipei time), President Lai Ching-te attended a state banquet hosted by His Majesty King Mswati III of Eswatini. In remarks, President Lai expressed gratitude to the king for his warm invitation and hospitality, saying that the delegation felt warmly welcomed and right at home. The president noted that the visit has been fruitful, saying it would further consolidate the diplomatic friendship between the two countries and advance bilateral economic, trade, and other cooperation and exchanges. He expressed hope that the two countries will work together to build more prosperous and progressive societies in which their peoples can enjoy better lives.

A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:

First, I would once again like to express my sincere gratitude to His Majesty for the kind invitation. I am honored to lead a delegation on a state visit to beautiful Eswatini. I thank His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, and the government and people of Eswatini for their warmest and most gracious hospitality, making our delegation feel right at home.
 
This visit has truly been fruitful. I signed a joint communiqué with His Majesty and we jointly witnessed the signing of a customs mutual assistance agreement between the foreign ministers of our two countries. I believe this visit will further consolidate the diplomatic friendship between our two countries and further advance economic, trade, and other cooperation and exchanges. We were also delighted to learn that Their Majesties, and in particular Her Majesty, have agreed to visit Taiwan again. The Queen Mother’s last visit to Taiwan was more than ten years ago. She mentioned that Taiwan feels like a second home, and that she is deeply aware of how long it has been since she last returned to that home, and of how Taiwan missed her. She was very happy to promise that she would return to Taiwan for a visit as soon as possible.

The International Convention Centre (ICC) where we are gathered today is a world-class venue that is sure to become a landmark in Eswatini and a hub for the conventions and exhibitions industry in southern Africa, as well as a venue for international conferences. I am grateful to His Majesty for personally introducing the venue, giving me a much deeper appreciation of the facility. It has modern conference halls and advanced technological equipment suitable for all types of meetings, and it also incorporates the local culture of Eswatini and works by Eswatini’s artists.

His Majesty has courageously spoken up for Taiwan at numerous international venues. Whether in his command of the affairs of state in Eswatini or in his vision and plans for the country’s future development, one can sense his wisdom. Under his leadership over the past 40 years, Eswatini has made tremendous strides. I believe that its steps forward will be even more remarkable, and the lives of its people will continue to improve.

It is my hope that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Kingdom of Eswatini enjoy an everlasting diplomatic friendship, and that no external interference will affect the genuine bond between our two peoples. Indeed, any attempt at external interference will only further solidify the friendship between our two countries. I also look forward to our two countries working together as a family to build more prosperous, more progressive societies in which the people of both nations can enjoy better lives.

King Mswati III delivered remarks earlier in the evening, first thanking President Lai for visiting the ICC. He noted that this exceptional and advanced venue will not only attract conferences and summits of all kinds to be held in Eswatini, but will also draw tourists from around the world. Since the ICC’s inauguration ceremony a few days ago, he said, he has seen many Emaswati and visitors come to tour the facility and admire this achievement. He also noted that this region is among the important locations where declarations related to United Nations reform have been adopted.

King Mswati III mentioned that Taiwan is currently not a member of the United Nations and is unable to fully participate in all UN-affiliated bodies. Nevertheless, he said, Taiwan’s 23 million people all hope to make contributions to humanity. He emphasized that in a world full of challenges, the peoples of all nations should join hands and support one another. He emphasized that while the UN has a commitment to leave no one behind, yet there are those who are still excluded. He stated his intention to make a strong appeal on Taiwan’s behalf, expressing hope that the UN will in the future consider allowing Taiwan to make meaningful contributions to all of humanity in the spirit of leaving no one behind.

King Mswati III said that throughout Eswatini one can see Taiwan’s contributions in the areas of infrastructure, agricultural development, water supply systems, and rural electrification. With regard to the ICC itself, he said that Taiwan actively participated alongside the government’s own substantial investment to jointly bring this project to completion. He expressed great pleasure that President Lai was able to personally witness this successful example of cooperation at the moment of its completion.

King Mswati III noted that Taiwan has strong international advantages in semiconductors, high-tech manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. He expressed hope that by drawing on Taiwan’s experience and bringing related industries to Eswatini, the relationship between the two countries will continue to deepen and grow.

After the state banquet, President Lai joined several members of the Eswatini royal family and cabinet officials at the performance hall to watch cultural performances and a fireworks display.

Also in attendance were Inkhosikati (Queen) of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Prime Minister Russell Dlamini, and other Eswatini government officials.