Taiwan is rolling out the red carpet for one of its last remaining diplomatic allies, a show of strength for Taipei as it fights to keep friends on the world stage.

• King Mswati III of Eswatini arrived in Taipei with his wife and a royal delegation to attend National Day events and hold state talks.
• President Lai Ching-te welcomed him with a full military ceremony and a state banquet, and the two will watch a joint air-and-ground combat drill together.
• The two countries will sign a deal on cooperation in criminal justice, and Taiwan is courting companies willing to invest in Eswatini.
• Eswatini has backed Taiwan internationally for 58 years, including a call at the UN in September for Taiwan to take part in UN meetings.
• This is the king's 20th trip to Taiwan since he took the throne in 1986, and Lai visited Eswatini in May.

Outlook: Expect more investment and trade announcements during the week-long visit as Taiwan works to lock in the few formal allies it has left.