China tells citizens to leave Taiwan-allied Eswatini

BEIJING — The Chinese government has instructed its residents to depart the African nation of Eswatini promptly, citing escalating security threats in the region. Eswatini, which serves as a rare diplomatic ally to Taiwan, has been a focal point of China's territorial claims over the self-governing island. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te had visited Eswatini in May, a move that Taiwan claimed was met with resistance from Beijing, who allegedly exerted pressure on neighboring countries to hinder the visit by withdrawing overflight permissions.

According to the China Foreign Ministry's consular department, which announced the directive on Tuesday, all Chinese nationals and entities currently residing in Eswatini are strongly encouraged to leave the country at the earliest convenience or relocate to safer zones, such as South Africa. The security concerns prompted by the ministry include the prevalence of cyber fraud and online gambling operations, which have significantly heightened the risks for individuals in the area.

The ministry's statement, disseminated through the popular Chinese social media platform WeChat, emphasized that any attempt to remain in Eswatini or continue traveling to the country would expose individuals to extremely high security risks. Moreover, the department warned that the timeliness of receiving consular assistance could be compromised for those who persist in staying in the region.