Scheduled for April 22 to 27 to coincide with celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Swazi King Mswati III’s coronation, the visit was shelved when Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar rescinded overflight permits, apparently at Beijing’s behest. With no indication that the visit would be rescheduled, at the time of writing, Lai could only bemoan China’s “coercion” and convey his “sincere wishes” to Mswati for his ruby jubilee.
Africa’s only absolute monarch, Mswati, who was born in 1968 – the same year that Taiwan and Eswatini (then Swaziland) established diplomatic relations – recently celebrated his 58th birthday, another reason for the planned program of activities.