Taiwan has scored a public diplomatic gain, as King Mswati III of its diplomatic ally Eswatini visited Taiwan and clearly voiced support for the country — positive news for Taipei.

• Lai Ching-te welcomed King Mswati III of Eswatini and Queen Consort LaZuma with military honours and a state banquet, stressing that the two countries share ties "like family".
• The king said every country has the right to freely choose its diplomatic partners, and that Eswatini will continue to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in the international community.
• The remarks came amid continued pressure from Beijing to peel away Taiwan's diplomatic allies; Eswatini is Taiwan's only remaining ally in Africa.
• Cooperation between the two sides is concentrated on overseas study, agricultural technology, healthcare and power supply, and the king said these achievements have directly improved the lives of the Eswatini people.
• The visit fell just ahead of Taiwan's National Day, and the two sides also discussed strengthening exchanges in youth engagement, the humanities and arts, and climate sustainability.

Outlook: The two sides are expected to shift the focus of their cooperation toward investment, industry, energy security and youth development, and Taiwan looks set to hold on to this African diplomatic tie in the near term.