Deputy Eswatini PM arrives in Taiwan for visit

Taipei, June 5 (CNA) Deputy Prime Minister of Eswatini Themba Masuku has arrived in the country to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other senior officials to exchange views on bilateral cooperation projects, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced on Monday.

Other than meeting Tsai and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Masuku's delegation will also meet with Minister of Labor Affairs Hsu Ming-chun (許銘春), MOFA said in a press release.

The Eswatini delegation will also visit Taipei-based Tex-Ray Industrial Company, a major investor in the African kingdom, it added.

The ongoing visit is the third high-level delegation from the African ally in the last seven months, following a visit by Eswatini's current ruler, King Mswati III, last October, and Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini in March, according to MOFA.

MOFA said in a statement released Sunday that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Eswatini will celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in September. Taiwan looks forward to working with the African ally to deepen bilateral ties, the ministry added.

Eswatini is one of a handful of absolute monarchies in the world and one of 13 states to maintain diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, Taiwan's official name, and the only one in Africa.

Formerly known as Swaziland, Eswatini has been ruled by King Mswati III since 1986.

MOFA did not provide a scheduled date for the delegation's departure.