eSwatini will not switch to China from Taiwan -minister

File photo: King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Summit in Johannesburg, June 11, 2011.

The Kingdom of eSwatini will not switch its allegiance from Taiwan to China, its foreign affairs minister said on Wednesday, after China said it expected Taiwan’s last diplomatic ally in Africa to switch allies soon.


“They must not play mind games because our relationship with Taiwan is over 50 years so we will not dump them,” Mgwagwa Gamedze told Reuters from Taiwan, where he was on a visit. “We have no desire to change camps since Taiwan has been good to us.”

eSwatini was formerly known as Swaziland.

El Salvador this week became the third country to switch allegiances to China from Taiwan this year.