Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te defended his island's "right to establish links with the world" upon his return Tuesday from a trip to Eswatini, a landlocked country of about one million inhabitants and Taipei's only African ally.

"Taiwanese people are citizens of the world; Taiwanese people have the right to establish ties with the world," Mr. Lai told reporters at Taipei airport upon returning from a visit that had initially been postponed.

The president traveled on the King of Eswatini's plane and arrived in the kingdom on Saturday for an official reception in the capital, Mbabane. He was originally scheduled to visit from April 22 to 26 for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession to the throne and his 58th birthday.

The initial trip had been postponed after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked the Taiwanese president's flight permits following "strong pressure" from China, according to Taipei.

"We will not back down in the face of pressure," said Mr. Lai, alongside Eswatini's Vice Prime Minister, Thulisile Dladla, who accompanied him back to Taiwan.

"Reciprocal visits between heads of state should be the most normal thing in the world, just like when we visit friends, and they constitute a fundamental right for every country," he stressed.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is one of 12 countries in the world that still recognize Taiwan's sovereignty, while China has convinced the others to break off diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing.

"Intimidation campaign"

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and opposes its participation in international organizations and exchanges with third countries. It does not rule out using force to take control of the island.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Saturday accused Mr. Lai of engaging in "a parody of escape, like a stowaway", making him "the laughingstock of the international community".

The United States denounced a "campaign of intimidation" by Beijing after the visit was postponed. This remark was dismissed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which criticized the accusations as "baseless."

Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, neighboring South Africa, has been ruled since 1986 by Mswati III, criticized for his lavish lifestyle and regularly accused of human rights violations.

Since May 1st, China has been applying a "zero tariff" policy to all African countries except Eswatini, which remains excluded from this measure announced last year.

President Lai Ching-te's last trip abroad was in November 2024, when he visited Taiwan's allies in the Pacific, transiting through the US territory of Guam.