NOT-SO SUBTLE: The Chinese assistant foreign minister said Beijing hopes that no African nations are ‘left behind’ ahead of next month’s forum with African leaders
Taipei Times
Date: Aug 23, 2018
By: Lu Yi-hsuan / Staff reporter
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday dismissed a
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu talks to reporters at the ministry yesterday, saying that Taiwan’s diplomatic ally Eswatini would not switch ties from Taiwan to China. Photo: CNA
remark by a senior Chinese diplomat that Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in Africa, Eswatini, would soon switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a public event at the ministry in Taipei, Wu said speculations about Eswatini switching allegiance to Beijing are nothing but a “phony issue.”
“I just had lunch with Eswatini Foreign Minister Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze to talk about how to deepen our bilateral relations,” Wu said.
The ministry has also said several times that ties between Taiwan and Eswatini are strong, and that the latter has specifically told Taipei that it would not attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation next month in Beijing. [FULL STORY]
