Beijing is turning up the heat on Eswatini, the only African nation that refuses to bow to the Chinese Communist Party's demands regarding Taiwan. The Chinese foreign ministry has issued an advisory urging its citizens to evacuate the kingdom, citing vague 'security risks' such as cyber fraud and gambling.
This move follows the arrest of 40 Chinese nationals in Eswatini, who were caught up in a crackdown on illegal online gambling operations. While lawyers for the detainees argue their re-arrest was unlawful after they paid fines for immigration offenses, the timing of Beijing’s sudden concern for its citizens' safety is transparently political.
Eswatini remains a defiant holdout among the 12 countries that maintain official diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Beijing has spent years attempting to isolate the island democracy, even going so far as to sabotage travel plans for Taiwanese officials and weaponize trade by excluding Eswatini from its recent tariff-free trade deals for African nations.
By framing the country as a security risk, China is clearly attempting to undermine Eswatini’s sovereignty and punish it for its continued friendship with Taiwan.
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