Pundits weigh in on how President will return to Taiwan from Eswatini

Pundits weigh in on how President will return to Taiwan from Eswatini

2026-05-04

Despite China’s interference forcing President Lai Ching-te’s team to cancel a state visit to Eswatini earlier, in the end, Lai still pulled off a surprise landing in Eswatini on Saturday, by traveling with a Swazi chartered flight. The question now, is how he will return to Taiwan. Pundits have weighed in on several options, but a DPP legislator said that just as the presidential team had surprised everyone with Lai’s arrival in Eswatini, he’s confident that the return will be just as successful.

It’s been three days since President Lai Ching-te arrived in Eswatini for a state visit. On Sunday, the president had visited the Queen Mother of Eswatini Ntfombi Tfwala at her royal residence. Lai’s state visit came as a surprise, since it had been blocked earlier due to pressure from Beijing. However, KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun seemed reluctant to give due credit to the president’s team.

Cheng Li-wun
KMT Chair
Even though we’ve made it, but the entire process—shouldn’t we thoroughly reflect on it? Who put in us in such a dire state, forced us into a corner? I’ve talked about this a million times already, but I know that they won’t listen. It’s OK if they don’t. The ruling party will change in 2028.

Fan Yun
Legislator (DPP)
Be it the KMT’s former Chair Hung Hsiu-chu or the current Chair Cheng Li-wun, it seems that neither are happy to see Taiwan achieve breakthroughs on the international stage. If you’re not happy, could it be that you’d rather side with the CCP?

Lai would’ve departed for Eswatini on April 22, had three African island nations not abruptly revoked overflight permits for Taiwan just one day ahead. In the end, the presidential team still made it, landing on May 2 with Eswatini’s chartered plane. But the question now is how the president and his team will return to Taiwan, as Beijing’s interference cannot be ruled out yet again.

Pundits have weighed in on the matter. Taipei City Councilor William Hsu of the KMT says that Lai and his team could use another Swazi charter flight to Paraguay, before returning westward. Some also suggest that Taiwan’s flag carrier, China Airlines could pick up the team in Paraguay. However, a former China Airlines pilot, Chang Chih-hao says that taking a Swazi chartered flight back would be the most feasible. Meanwhile, Professor Yen Chen-shen at NCCU says that another option is to take an airliner flight to Europe before heading back to Taiwan; whereas Professor Lin Ying-yu at Tamkang University said that the team’s return via a Swazi chartered flight back could still be sabotaged, should Beijing decide to hold military drills.

Hsu Chih-chieh
Legislator (DPP)
A surprise move made this visit, so it doesn’t matter whether to announce the return trip. I believe the Presidential Office has its own plan. We shall wait and see.

The DPP legislator is confident that the Presidential Office has already made arrangements to return, which should again surprise everyone.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#taiwan #eswatini #賴清德 #鄭麗文 #africa

賴總統出訪史國"如何返台"? 搭乘原專機或向西再訪巴拉圭

2026-05-04

總統賴清德，出訪史瓦帝尼第三天，親自拜會了王母恩彤碧，行程馬不停蹄，這趟出訪何時返台，總統府並未透露，不過外界也好奇，搭乘史國專機出訪的賴總統，會如何返台？有人認為原專機返台可能最順利，有人建議，一路向西先到友邦巴拉圭，再接著飛回台灣。

總統賴清德，現身史瓦帝尼王母王宮，親自拜會王母恩彤碧，出訪史瓦帝尼第三天，賴清德行程備受關注，但這趟出訪，突破了中國外交封鎖，國民黨主席鄭麗文首度發表看法，卻是罵聲連連。

[[國民黨主席鄭麗文]]
“今天雖然去了，但是這整個過程，難道不讓我們覺得應該要深思嗎？是誰把自己變得如此窘迫，被迫逼到牆角。雖然我是已經講過N遍了啦，但我也知道，他們大概是聽不進去，聽不進去沒關係，我們2028政黨輪替。”

[[立委(民) 范雲]]
“不管是洪秀柱前（國民黨）主席或者是國民黨現任主席鄭麗文，似乎他們都不樂見台灣在國際上有突破，那你不樂見，難道是要跟中共站在一起嗎？”

賴清德原定4月22日要出訪，遭非洲三個國家，臨時取消飛越許可，最終在5月2日搭乘史國專機，順利落地，但現在外界也擔憂，回程該如何避免跳腳的中方再出奧步？

國民黨台北市議員徐弘庭建議，可以搭乘史國專機，先抵達巴拉圭，再從巴拉圭一路往西繞行返台，也有一說，華航專機可以事先到巴拉圭等接總統，不過前華航機師張志豪認為原專機返台應該最順。政大政治系兼任教授嚴震生，分析除了原專機，還可透過民航客機抵達歐洲等國轉機，另外淡江戰略所副教授林穎佑，則認為原專機返台的前提，是必須防範中國趁機演訓。

[[立委(民) 許智傑]]
“這次出訪出奇招，要如何回程也不見得要先公布，相信總統府已有自己的方案，我們靜觀其變。”

賴清德出奇招，加上史瓦帝尼助攻，達成這趟不容易的任務，接下來的回程之路，總統會再如何出招？全球關注。

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- Hello, everyone. I am holding a guava in my hand, as you can all see.

President Lai Ching-te published a short video on his personal Instagram account about Taiwan’s agricultural capacity building project in Eswatini.

- You can see from this guava, the close allied relationship between our two nations, Taiwan and Eswatini, and between our peoples.

Taiwan’s own guava variety is grafted onto a local fruit tree to produce fruits of higher market value. Pitaya, strawberry and tilapia are also being introduced to Eswatini. In addition to agriculture, the president expounded on two cooperative projects between Taiwan and Eswatini, after hearing related briefings from Taiwan officials.

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The strategic oil reserve facility signifies greater energy security and national resilience amid the possibility of risks and crises. The Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park represents a forward-thinking industrial plan and the aspiration to develop. These are our largest and most strategically significant cooperation projects since our establishment of diplomatic relations.

The president also reiterated the importance of trusted relationships in a rapidly changing global landscape.

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Taiwan will continue to leverage its core strengths – namely, its values, resilience, and technology – as it works with Eswatini and like-minded partners. Deepening cooperation and exchanges, we will build a more secure and reliable supply chain system and partnerships.

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