Washington Backs Taipei: U.S. Calls Taiwan a 'Trusted and Capable Partner' After Eswatini Visit

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The Statement Washington Wanted Beijing to Hear

The U.S. State Department did not mince words. Following Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's arrival in the southern African kingdom of Eswatini on Saturday, May 3, a Department spokesperson issued a clear public endorsement: Taiwan is a "trusted and capable partner of the United States and many others," and its relationships around the world — including with Eswatini — deliver real benefits to the citizens of those countries.

The statement went further, pushing back on the idea that presidential travel between Taiwan and its allies is anything unusual. Every democratically elected Taiwanese leader has made overseas trips to visit diplomatic partners, the spokesperson noted. Lai's predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, visited Eswatini in both 2018 and 2023. The U.S. position was stated plainly: "This travel is routine and should not be politicised."

It was a deliberate message — and its timing was no coincidence.

A Visit Beijing Tried to Prevent

The backstory adds weight to Washington's endorsement. The Eswatini trip was Lai's second attempt. His original visit, planned for late April, had to be cancelled after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar abruptly withdrew overflight permits for his presidential aircraft. Taiwan's government blamed direct pressure from Beijing — including what officials described as economic coercion — for persuading the three Indian Ocean nations to close their airspace.

It was an unprecedented diplomatic maneuver: a sitting head of state blocked from traveling to an allied country through third-party airspace denial. The episode drew criticism from the United States and expressions of concern from the European Union.

On the second attempt, Lai traveled discreetly on board an Eswatini government aircraft. His arrival was only announced after he had safely landed — a security protocol his team described as standard practice for sensitive diplomatic missions. He met with King Mswati III, signed trade agreements, and invited the king for a return visit to Taiwan.

For the full account of how Lai outmaneuvered Beijing's blockade, see our earlier report: Taiwan's President Defies Beijing — and Makes It to Eswatini Anyway.

Beijing's Fury — and Its Broader Warning

China's reaction was swift and sharp. A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry dismissed Lai's trip as a "laughable stunt" and claimed he had been "smuggled" out of Taiwan on a foreign plane. Beijing reiterated its long-standing position that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory and that any state-level engagement by Taipei is illegitimate.

But the rhetoric didn't stop there. Just one day before Lai arrived in Eswatini, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and made Beijing's strategic priorities explicit: Taiwan, Wang Yi stated, is the single "biggest risk" in the relationship between China and the United States. The warning came ahead of a planned summit between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing later this month.

The juxtaposition was stark. While Beijing was privately warning Washington to pull back on Taiwan, Washington was publicly doubling down on its support.

The Ties That Beijing Cannot Break — Yet

Eswatini, a small landlocked monarchy in southern Africa with a population of around 1.3 million, is Taiwan's only remaining ally on the African continent. It is also one of just 12 countries worldwide that still maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei — a number that has shrunk steadily as Beijing has pressured nations to switch recognition to the People's Republic.

Eswatini's loyalty comes at a cost. It is the only African country excluded from tariff-free access to China's market, a direct consequence of its refusal to sever ties with Taiwan. That economic penalty has done nothing to change Mswati III's calculus — and Taiwan has reciprocated with development aid, agricultural support, vocational training, and medical assistance over the decades.

Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the United States is legally committed to providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself — though Washington officially does not recognize Taipei as a sovereign government. That legal framework has long made the U.S. Taiwan's most important international supporter and arms supplier, a fact that infuriates Beijing.

What This Moment Signals

The sequence of events — Beijing's airspace gambit, Lai's successful workaround, and now Washington's explicit endorsement — marks a new phase in the struggle over Taiwan's international standing.

China's willingness to pressure third countries into closing their skies signals a more aggressive approach to diplomatic isolation, one that goes beyond simply poaching Taiwan's allies. If replicated, it could give Beijing an effective veto over where Taiwan's president can travel.

But Washington's response suggests the Trump administration has no intention of allowing that precedent to stand unchallenged. Calling Taiwan a trusted partner — publicly and on the record — is a statement of alignment that carries weight precisely because it comes at a moment of intensifying Chinese pressure.

Lai himself, for his part, struck an unyielding tone. Taiwan, he said after arriving in Eswatini, will continue to engage with the world — no matter what obstacles are placed in its way.

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Sources:

1. Reuters – "U.S. calls Taiwan 'trusted and capable' partner, praises its ties with Eswatini" (May 4, 2026): https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-calls-taiwan-trusted-capable-partner-praises-its-ties-with-eswatini-2026-05-04/
2. Al Jazeera – "Taiwan leader visits Eswatini despite China's attempts to block trip" (May 3, 2026): https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/3/taiwan-leader-visits-eswatini-despite-chinas-attempts-to-block-trip
3. NPR / AP – "Taiwan's Lai lands in Eswatini in a trip delayed by lack of overflight clearance" (May 2, 2026): https://www.kpbs.org/news/international/2026/05/02/taiwans-lai-lands-in-eswatini-in-a-trip-delayed-by-lack-of-overflight-clearance
4. Taiwan News – "Lai reaffirms Taiwan sovereignty after arriving in Eswatini" (May 3, 2026): https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6353333
5. udumbara.net – "Taiwan's President Defies Beijing — and Makes It to Eswatini Anyway" (related background): https://udumbara.net/taiwans-president-defies-beijing-and-makes-it-to-eswatini-anyway

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