Eswatini king thanks Taiwan for helicopter donation

Tainan, Oct. 11 (CNA) Visiting King Mswati III of Eswatini on Sunday thanked Taiwan for its previous donation of military helicopters to the African kingdom as he toured an aviation training center in Tainan accompanied by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德).

King Mswati III arrived in Taiwan on Friday for his 20th visit to the country since he was crowned king in 1986, primarily to attend the Republic of China National Day celebrations. The Republic of China is Taiwan's formal name.

On Sunday, Lai and the monarch visited the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command's Flight Training Command, a military unit based in Tainan that serves as a training facility for Army aviation.

During the visit, King Mswati III and his wife, Inkhosikati Make Zuma, were shown military helicopters on display in a hangar. Both also tried their hand at operating a military helicopter flight simulator, while the king sat in the cockpit of a Black Hawk helicopter.

In his remarks during the visit, Lai said Taiwan donated two retired UH-1H helicopters to Eswatini in 2020. Between 2019 and 2020, the Tainan-based command also trained 11 Eswatini pilots and maintenance personnel to operate and maintain the helicopters.

Lai expressed his gratitude to the personnel involved in the mission for their contributions to diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Meanwhile, King Mswati thanked Taiwan for donating the helicopters and assisting in the training of Eswatini's pilots.

The helicopters, which were formally handed over to the Umbutfo eSwatini Defence Force (UEDF) Air Wing, have already played a crucial role, including transporting patients who are unable to reach medical facilities on their own or require urgent medical attention, the king said.

Mswati added that during his current visit to Taiwan, he witnessed the continued development and progress of Taiwan's aviation sector. He said he looked forward to further deepening exchanges and sharing expertise and experience between the two countries.

The king's itinerary also includes observing a joint ground-air military exercise alongside Lai, a visit to an agricultural research center and an investment dinner hosted by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The African kingdom's ruler is expected to conclude his latest Taiwan trip on Oct. 17.