China Slams Taiwan’s President Over Secret Eswatini Visit

(MENAFN) China strongly criticized Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te following his unannounced visit to Eswatini, comparing him to a “rat crossing the street” in remarks issued by Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, according to reports.

Officials in Beijing condemned the trip as a challenge to the one-China principle and accused Lai of provoking tensions through the visit.

The trip had initially been planned for late April but was delayed after several countries withdrew overflight permissions for the Taiwanese leader’s aircraft. Despite this, Lai proceeded with the journey by boarding a plane provided by Eswatini, one of the few nations that maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.

Chinese authorities also labeled Lai a “troublemaker,” criticizing him for traveling abroad following a major earthquake in Taiwan and accusing him of misleading the public.

In a strongly worded statement, the office said, “Lai Ching-te's despicable actions, like a rat crossing the street, will inevitably be ridiculed by the international community... Lai Ching-te’s disregard for the safety of the people and his wanton deception of the public will surely be spurned by the vast majority of Taiwanese compatriots. The so-called ‘diplomatic achievements’ that Lai Ching-te painstakingly fabricated are nothing but trickery and a laughing stock,” reflecting Beijing’s sharp opposition to the visit.

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