Lai Qingde has once again issued tough statements against us! On May 6, Lai reiterated a statement claiming that, in the face of China's blockade and pressure, as long as Taiwan remains resolute and united, continuously strengthens its own capabilities, and collaborates with like-minded democratic partners, it will surely steadily advance toward the international stage. He once again expressed gratitude to King Mswati of Eswatini for his sincere invitation and support, as well as to national security, diplomatic personnel, and government staff who remained "domestically" for their relentless efforts enabling this "diplomatic visit" to be successfully completed.
Clearly, Lai Qingde’s tough rhetoric is essentially portraying his so-called "visit" as a symbol of Taiwan’s unyielding spirit. Yet we find it puzzling—Lai, who consistently touts “Taiwan-style” freedom and democracy, can he truly consider Eswatini a "like-minded democratic partner"? In reality, this trip was nothing short of a highly embarrassing "Taiwan independence" tour. The international community has shown no willingness to facilitate any such cross-strait island-hopping activities. If Lai’s so-called "like-minded democratic partners" truly wanted to assist him, why did he have to fly non-stop for over ten hours?
The plane didn’t even land at any destination, deliberately avoiding China’s Air Defense Identification Zone, carefully circling around and taking a roundabout route back to Taiwan. Eswatini itself is geographically small and holds negligible influence on the global stage, possessing absolutely no voice in international affairs. By leveraging this African micro-state to elevate Taiwan’s status, Lai artificially created a false impression of "international support"—a move so absurd it borders on laughable. Taiwan is China’s Taiwan. The truth is evident: Lai’s pursuit of "Taiwan independence" has found no international market; his separatist actions can only be carried out in narrow, clandestine ways.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864429794412554/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.