--- title: "China Leverages Eswatini to Pressure Taiwan | Model Diplomat" description: "China is using a travel dispute with Eswatini to pressure Taiwan, signaling a broader strategy to isolate Taipei by squeezing its few remaining diplomatic ties." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/story/china-uses-eswatini-travel-dispute-to-pressure-taiwan" --- # China Leverages Eswatini to Pressure Taiwan Beijing intensifies pressure on Taiwan's last African ally. Model DiplomatMay 6, 20262 min readAfrica [ReutersChina condemns Eswatini for being 'kept and fed' by Taiwan in travel row](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-condemns-eswatini-being-kept-fed-by-taiwan-travel-row-2026-05-06/)[Associated PressTaiwan's president says state visits are 'basic right' after trip he says Beijing tried to block | AP News](https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-president-returns-from-estawini-19b846e963b07df0c2dde959e99250b0)[BBCTaiwan president visits Eswatini after blaming China for previous cancelled trip](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c809ln029ldo)[Al JazeeraWho are Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies? | News | Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/15/who-are-taiwans-formal-diplomatic-allies) ## China Turns Eswatini Travel Row Into Pressure on Taiwan *Beijing is using airspace and trade pressure to isolate Taiwan’s last African ally, while Eswatini trades symbolism for aid.* China is trying to turn President Lai Ching-te’s Eswatini visit into a warning shot. After the kingdom hosted Lai, Beijing accused Eswatini of being “kept and fed” by Taiwan, a deliberate public humiliation meant to undercut **Taiwan’s last African partner** and remind other capitals that dealing with Taipei carries a cost. [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-condemns-eswatini-being-kept-fed-by-taiwan-travel-row-2026-05-06/ "reuters.com") ## Beijing is squeezing on the margins This is not about Eswatini’s size; it is about leverage. Taiwan said last month that Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked overflight permits for Lai’s presidential aircraft under Chinese pressure, forcing an initial cancellation of the trip. [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-president-cancels-eswatini-trip-blames-chinese-pressure-african-countries-2026-04-21/ "reuters.com") Beijing never had to convince Eswatini to switch recognition to score a win — it only had to make the trip harder, costlier and more visibly contested. That tactic fits the longer pattern. Reuters reported in 2018 that China was already leaning on Swaziland to sever ties with Taipei ahead of a China-Africa summit, and Reuters counted only 12 formal Taiwanese allies worldwide in January 2024. [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-taiwan-swaziland-idUSKCN1IX450 "reuters.com"), [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/then-there-were-12-taiwans-diplomatic-allies-2023-03-26/ "reuters.com") For background on the wider diplomatic contest, see [Global Politics](https://modeldiplomat.com/discover/general "modeldiplomat.com") and [Conflict](https://modeldiplomat.com/discover/conflict "modeldiplomat.com"). ## Eswatini is the symbol Beijing wants AP reported that Eswatini is Taiwan’s only formal diplomatic ally in Africa, which makes it more useful to Taipei as a symbol than as a market. [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-eswatini-lai-china-438451a93e4de0a8f4dbc99fdb0d3bf0 "apnews.com") Lai’s rescheduled visit on May 2 let Taipei show it can still move a head of state abroad, discuss economic and agricultural cooperation, and keep one of its last remaining embassies from becoming a stranded relic. [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-eswatini-lai-china-438451a93e4de0a8f4dbc99fdb0d3bf0 "apnews.com") For King Mswati III’s government, the relationship buys attention, aid and a diplomatic line to Taipei; for China, it is a small but useful test of whether public shaming and logistical pressure can make the costs of supporting Taiwan obvious to everyone else. Reuters has repeatedly described the broader fight as one of “dollar diplomacy,” with Beijing using larger economic incentives to pull partners away from Taipei. [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/diplomatic-competition-between-taiwan-china-2023-04-05/ "reuters.com") ## What to watch next The next decision point is whether Beijing stops at rhetoric or keeps tightening the screws through air transit, trade access and pressure on third countries that host Taiwanese officials. [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-president-cancels-eswatini-trip-blames-chinese-pressure-african-countries-2026-04-21/ "reuters.com") If Lai’s next foreign trip again runs into denied overflight permits, this stops looking like a one-off insult and starts looking like the template. 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