China has stepped up pressure on Eswatini, Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after Beijing told its citizens to leave the southern African kingdom over what it described as “security risks".
China’s foreign ministry cited what it called rampant cyber fraud and criminal activities associated with gambling, but did not provide specific details about the alleged threats.
The ministry urged Chinese nationals in Eswatini to relocate as soon as possible to “relatively safer” countries, including neighbouring South Africa.
The warning comes as Eswatini faces a crackdown on alleged illegal online gambling operations and amid a separate legal dispute involving dozens of Chinese nationals detained in the country.
China-Taiwan tensions add a geopolitical dimension
