President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of December 4 with the Kingdom of Swaziland's House of Assembly Speaker Thembe Msibi. On behalf of the government and people of the ROC, the president welcomed Speaker Msibi to Taiwan and called for further strengthening of interaction and cooperation between the two countries.
In remarks, President Ma stated that the ROC and Swaziland have maintained diplomatic relations for 45 years, the bilateral alliance is stable, and dealings between the two nations are quite close. He noted that His Majesty King Mswati III in May of this year visited Taiwan for the 14th time, while Minister of Economic Planning & Development Prince Hlangusemphi led a delegation to Taiwan on November 25 to participate in the 16th Session of the ROC-Swaziland Economic Cooperation Conference. The frequency of these visits points to the close bilateral ties at the highest levels of government, he added.
President Ma stated that the ROC and Swaziland maintain close cooperation in the areas of education, medicine and health care, infrastructure, agriculture, electrical machinery, and mining. The results of this cooperation have been stellar, he pointed out, mentioning that a joint rural electrification project has brought electricity to 65% of Swaziland's residents. In addition, he said, one of the most notable cooperation projects between the two countries—the construction of the Sikhuphe International Airport—is slated for completion next year. President Ma commented that Swaziland has developed rapidly in recent years, and said that countries throughout the world have no doubt taken note. In particular, the nation's fiscal situation has improved considerably this year, he mentioned. He also called for further cooperation in the area of economic development.
President Ma noted that he visited Swaziland in April of last year and was deeply impressed by the beautiful scenery and the warmth and enthusiasm of the people. He mentioned that when he went exercising in Swaziland, he felt like he was back in Taiwan. King Mswati III, he said, has been even more active in promoting a physically active lifestyle since his visit, and hopes to make it an important part of society there. This is something that Taiwan is also working toward, the president said.
President Ma also expressed his deepest appreciation to Swaziland for speaking on behalf of the ROC at many international venues and supporting meaningful participation for Taiwan in international organizations and activities. He said he hopes that Speaker Msibi will continue working with the ROC to promote the alliance and jointly create greater wellbeing for the people of the two countries.