Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally denied allegations published by a South Africa-based outlet targeting its ambassador to Eswatini, calling the reports a coordinated disinformation campaign timed to coincide with President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) upcoming state visit.
The Presidential Office announced on June 13 that Lai will visit Eswatini — Taiwan's sole remaining diplomatic ally in Africa — on June 22. Two days later, a publication calledSwaziland News, whose website lists a South African address and uses a South African country code (+27) as its contact number, published an article alleging that Taiwan's Ambassador to Eswatini, Liang Hung-sheng (梁洪昇), was involved in multiple corruption cases.
The allegations subsequently circulated on Taiwan's anonymous online forum PTT, translated into Chinese, with users summarizing five specific corruption claims attributed to Liang.
A Targeted Attack on Taiwan's Ambassador — and a Pattern Beijing Has Used Before
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry responded on the evening of June 16, stating the allegations were entirely without factual basis and supported by no concrete evidence — characterizing them as a"classic disinformation operation"
At the same time, the Ministry identified Swaziland News as aChina-funded outlet with a defined political agenda, noting it has a documented history of criticizing the Eswatini royal family and government while disseminating content designed to undermine Taiwan's sovereignty and damage Taipei-Mbabane ties.
The Ministry further noted that Ambassador Liang has served in his post since 2018, actively deepening Taiwan-Eswatini ties and advancing bilateral relations. His strong working relationship with the Eswatini royal family and government, and his demonstrable record of results, appear to have made him a target for politically motivated attacks.
Officials drew a direct parallel to a similar episode in 2023, when Lai — then serving as Vice President — visited Paraguay, another of Taiwan's remaining formal allies. On that occasion, the Ministry said, coordinated disinformation was also circulated to confuse domestic audiences and undermine Taiwan's diplomatic activities. The Ministry described both episodes as evidence of systematic foreign manipulation of information intended to damage Taiwan's bilateral relationships.
The Ministry said it will file a police report regarding the online circulation of the disinformation and pledged to defend the reputations of the Foreign Ministry and its frontline diplomatic staff. The public was urged not to share or amplify such content.
Where the Tensions Lie: Beijing's One-China Pressure
Separately, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua (陳斌華) was asked at a regular press briefing on June 15 — by China Daily, an English-language newspaper sponsored by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party and administered by the State Council's Information Office — about Lai's planned visit to Eswatini.
Chen said Beijing "consistently handles Taiwan's external interactions in accordance with the one-China principle" and "firmly opposes any attempt to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or Taiwan independence in the international arena." He called on "relevant countries to recognize the overall trend, correct their mistakes as soon as possible, and stand on the right side of history," Chen said.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry responded on June 16 with a sharp rebuttal, condemning what it called "absurd remarks" from the Taiwan Affairs Office. The Ministry reasserted that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign independent state with no subordinate relationship to the People's Republic of China. Presidential state visits, it said, conform to standard international practice, and Beijing has no standing to comment on them.
The Ministry added that Taiwan reserves the right to independently develop relations with any country, will not accept interference or suppression on any grounds, and will not impose limits on itself in response to intimidation. "Even as authoritarian governments continue to expand and intensify coercion, Taiwan will not retreat — it will engage the world more boldly," the Ministry stated.
The Ministry warned that Beijing's relentless efforts to eliminate Taiwan's diplomatic space and deny its international legal personality not only impede constructive cross-strait development but also damages the interests of the Taiwanese people. It called on Beijing to immediately cease acting as, in its words, "a troublemaker in the international community and a saboteur of cross-strait relations."
Original Article in Chinese
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