President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) returned to Taiwan this Tuesday morning after his trip to the allied nation of Eswatini. Lai delivered a return address upon arrival at the Taoyuan International Airport, speaking on strengthened bilateral relations as a result of the visit.

The president bypassed China’s blockade by using the so-called “arrive then announce” model to circumvent potential interference after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked flight permits for Lai’s aircraft to cross airspace they manage under Chinese pressure. Lai arrived in Eswatini last Saturday, May 2, past the original April 22 to 26 trip dates.

Lai flew on Eswatini King Mswati III’s private plane, with both departure and return flights kept highly confidential. The president said it was an 84-hour, 25,000-kilometer round trip and expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Taiwanese people to Eswatini’s king, government, and nation as a whole.

This visit has witnessed concrete achievements in exchanges between Taiwan and Eswatini, Lai said, across a wide range of fields, including energy, security, industrial investment, agricultural cooperation, smart healthcare, women’s empowerment, culture, and education. He said Taiwan has proven through its actions that true national strength lies not in subjugating others but in “bringing happiness to all.”

Lai said, “The earth is round, the world belongs to everyone, and Taiwan belongs to the world. Taiwanese people are global citizens, and Taiwanese people have the right to participate in the world. We will not back down because of suppression; on the contrary, peace-loving and freedom-loving Taiwanese people will continue to uphold justice and rationality and maintain a steady and responsible attitude, providing greater participation and contribution to the world stage.”