President Tsai receives credentials from new Eswatini ambassador Promise Msibi

On the morning of June 13, President Tsai Ing-wen received the credentials of new Eswatini Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Promise Msibi, and welcomed him to his new post. In remarks, the president expressed hope that Taiwan and Eswatini will continue to expand on our collaborative projects in such fields as trade, energy, public health, and information security, while further deepening our bilateral partnership.

A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:

It gives me great pleasure to receive the letter of credence from Ambassador Msibi today. On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I would like to extend to you a most sincere welcome. In April 2018, I visited the Kingdom of Eswatini to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries. I was delighted that King Mswati III then visited Taiwan a month later.

During my visit to Eswatini, I felt deeply the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two nations and also witnessed the results of our exchanges in various areas. In recent years, Taiwan and Eswatini have continued to expand cooperation in such fields as trade, energy, public health, and information security.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eswatini has become Taiwan's third-largest source of rubbing alcohol. Our countries have also collaborated on manufacturing medical masks in Eswatini. These efforts demonstrate our staunch friendship and important partnership as we combat the pandemic.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Eswatini for firmly supporting Taiwan's international participation over the years. At the World Health Assembly last month, Eswatini once again voiced support for Taiwan. These gestures of friendship truly touched the hearts of the Taiwanese people. Ambassador Msibi, please convey our gratitude to the government and people of Eswatini.

Ambassador Msibi is an outstanding diplomat with extensive experience. He has visited us before, and has long been a strong supporter of Taiwan. King Mswati III's appointment of Ambassador Msibi to Taiwan demonstrates not only the significance the king and Queen Mother Ntombi Tfwala attach to Taiwan, but also the high regard in which they hold you, Ambassador.

Ambassador Msibi, we believe that with your professionalism and experience, you will help Taiwan and Eswatini continue to deepen our partnership. In closing, I wish you every success in your new role. Please give our heartfelt greetings to King Mswati III. Thank you!

Ambassador Msibi then delivered remarks, saying that it was his honor to present his credentials to President Tsai. The Ambassador also conveyed the greetings of King Mswati III and the queen mother as well as the government and people of Eswatini. 

Noting Taiwan's rich history, Ambassador Msibi said that the intelligent and hardworking Taiwanese people had made outstanding contributions to the progress of mankind. The ambassador stated that in its efforts to develop the national economy, Taiwan had made remarkable achievements in areas including social development, culture, science, and technology, adding that Eswatini admires these efforts and hopes that Taiwan accomplishes even more in its pursuit of national development.

Ambassador Msibi said that Eswatini and Taiwan are linked by common visions of the future, with friendly exchanges between our two countries going back a long time, while a profound friendship between our peoples has been nurtured over the past five decades and more. The ambassador also stated that, as Eswatini and Taiwan have, in more recent times, sympathized with and supported each other in the pursuit of national independence and liberation, and as Eswatini is Taiwan's last diplomatic ally in Africa, our two countries ought to continue working together to develop our economies and improve our peoples' living standards while adhering to democratic values. 

Ambassador Msibi emphasized that democracy goes hand-in-hand with the right to self-determination, and that as such, the Republic of China (Taiwan) has the right to choose how it should be governed and by whom it should be governed, adding that should it be threatened, Taiwan, just like any independent state, has the right to defend itself, while its friends would be obligated to assist in its defense. The ambassador also assured President Tsai that the Kingdom of Eswatini does not regret its alliance with Taiwan in any way, and in fact wants to further deepen our good bilateral relations.

Stating that mutually beneficial cooperation between our two nations not only serves our shared interests, but is also conducive to peace, stability, and development in both of our regions and the world at large, Ambassador Msibi expressed confidence that with the joint efforts of our governments and peoples, our longstanding, constructive partnership is bound to reach new heights.

Ambassador Msibi then expressed his honor at being appointed ambassador of the Kingdom of Eswatini to the Republic of China (Taiwan), and acknowledged the weighty responsibilities of this position. The ambassador said that during his tenure he will make every effort to expand the friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries while also enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between our governments and peoples, in order to take the Eswatini-Taiwan relationship to new heights.

Secretary-General to the President David T. Lee (李大維) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) were also in attendance.