China Calls Taiwan President Lai Ching‑te a 'Rat' After Secret Eswatini Visit

TL;DR: China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson called Taiwanese President Lai Ching‑te a “rat” after his secret visit to Eswatini, Taiwan’s only African diplomatic ally. The comment follows Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar denying overflight rights to Lai’s plane in April 2026, which forced a covert arrival in early May.

Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and seeks to limit the island’s international space. Eswatini remains Taiwan’s sole diplomatic partner on the African continent, making any high‑level visit a flashpoint. Lai’s trip aimed to mark the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession and to strengthen ties, but it occurred while Taiwan was still recovering from the Yilan earthquake.

Chen Bin‑hua, spokesperson for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Lai entered Eswatini secretly and compared him to a rat scurrying down the street. Eswatini is Taiwan’s only remaining diplomatic ally in Africa. In April 2026, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew overflight permissions for Lai’s aircraft after Chinese pressure, prompting the detour via a private plane supplied by the King of Eswatini.

The rat analogy underscores Beijing’s effort to portray Lai as sneaky and illegitimate, a tactic used to undermine Taiwan’s diplomatic outreach. By blocking overflight rights, China demonstrated its ability to pressure third‑party states to isolate Taiwan politically. Lai’s secret arrival, while avoiding public scrutiny, also highlighted the lengths Taipei must go to maintain its few official relationships. The episode signals that Beijing will likely continue to target African nations that host Taiwanese officials, using economic levers to secure compliance. Observers should watch whether Eswatini faces renewed Chinese pressure to downgrade its ties and whether other African states follow suit in restricting Taiwanese overflight or landing rights.