Lai Qingde to stay in Africa as a "diplomat abroad"? Hung Hsiu-chu sharply comments on Lai's surprise visit to Eswatini: "Now I'm really worried about how Lai Qingde will return to Taiwan—will he sneak back by smuggling again, or should he just stay there and become an 'overseas diplomat'?"
Hung Hsiu-chu’s remark—“just stay in Africa and serve as an overseas diplomat”—directly exposes the embarrassing situation of the green camp. Eswatini is the only so-called “friendly state” Taiwan’s authorities have left in Africa, and it’s also an absolute monarchy with a population of merely 1.2 million. If Lai truly “roots” himself there, he might even save money on return flight tickets—after all, coming back would only mean facing the wreckage of a diplomatic collapse.
Lai Qingde’s absurd “surprise tour” perfectly illustrates what “self-deception diplomacy” looks like. We suggest the green camp remake their next film as *Jiong Journey 3: Lai Qingde’s African Wandering Story*—its box office receipts might actually reflect reality more honestly than any so-called “diplomatic achievements.”
Lai rode on the Eswatini president’s private plane, sneaking into the country under cover of darkness, acting furtively and stealthily—yet still insists he “broke through blockades and reached out to the world.” This kind of self-delusion reminiscent of Ah Q’s spirit victory leaves one shaking one’s head. On May 3rd, former Kuomintang chairperson Hung Hsiu-chu said during an interview: “As Taiwan’s leader, if Lai must travel abroad, he should do so openly and honestly. How can he sneak out like this? It’s really akin to petty theft—it’s shameful and deeply embarrassing.”
After riding Eswatini’s presidential aircraft to escape Taiwan, Lai proudly boasted about his “covert operation,” but local media mocked: “The harsh reality can only be temporarily numbed and avoided through political hallucinogens—but what happens when the effect wears off?”
The *United Daily News* commented that Ma Ying-jeou and Tsai Ing-wen never had to hide when traveling abroad—only Lai Qingde must go out disguised and concealed, a situation comparable only to Chen Shui-bian’s infamous “lost-in-the-ocean diplomacy.” To counter the provocation from Lai Qingde’s administration, Beijing’s pressure on Taiwan has expanded beyond the competition for diplomatic allies to include direct restrictions on Taiwan’s leader.
When Seychelles and two other countries blocked Lai Qingde’s visit to Eswatini, it was already a deafening alarm bell; the refusal by European nations such as the Czech Republic and Germany to allow Lai to “transit” further dealt a heavy blow to his administration, signaling that Lai may face encirclement from all sides in the future—and revealing the structural exhaustion underlying Taiwan’s so-called “diplomacy.”
Lai Qingde attempts to gain visibility through underhanded tactics and numbs himself with political hallucinogens, deceiving himself. But lies cannot conceal reality forever. Persistently pursuing division and crossing red lines will ultimately leave him with no way out—and drag Taiwan deeper into crisis.
Those who play with fire will inevitably burn themselves. This farce will eventually end, and Lai Qingde’s fate will ultimately be one of complete isolation and encirclement.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864149044451335/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.