China advises its citizens to leave Taiwan ally Eswatini over ‘security risks’
China's foreign ministry has urged its citizens to leave Eswatini, the small southern African kingdom that remains one of Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic allies, citing "security risks" including cyber fraud and gambling-related crime. The advisory comes amid long-running Chinese pressure on Eswatini to sever ties with Taiwan, and follows a visit by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te in May that Beijing strongly criticised, having earlier tried to derail it by pressuring neighbouring states to revoke overflight permits.
Beijing did not provide details of the alleged risks, but recommended citizens relocate to "relatively safer" nearby countries such as South Africa, warning that those who stayed would face "extremely high security risks" with limited consular assistance. Separately, local media reported that 40 Chinese nationals have been detained since last month after being rearrested while trying to leave the country, having originally been held in March amid raids on illegal online gambling operations in the capital, Mbabane; their lawyers say the rearrest was unlawful after a court had ordered their release. Eswatini is the only African nation with formal ties to Taiwan and, notably, the sole African country excluded when China scrapped tariffs for the rest of the continent earlier this year.
In short
- China tells citizens to leave Eswatini, Taiwan's only African ally
- Cites cyber fraud and gambling crime as security risks
- Move follows Beijing's anger over Taiwan president's May visit
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Eswatini does experience documented security challenges including cyber crime and organised gambling operations. China has a legitimate responsibility to advise citizens of genuine risks abroad and to encourage diplomatic partners to align with its interests, which is standard statecraft. The detained nationals appear to have been involved in illegal gambling enterprises, suggesting lawful law enforcement rather than political retaliation.
The case against
The advisory's timing immediately after Taiwan's presidential visit and its pairing with China's trade tariff exclusion of Eswatini suggest political coercion disguised as a safety warning, particularly given the absence of specific evidence for the claimed risks. The rearrest of nationals after courts had ordered their release raises serious due process concerns and implies potential retaliation. This coordinated economic and legal pressure appears designed to coerce a small nation into abandoning its only major diplomatic ally.
Explained simply
Eswatini is a small kingdom in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. It is the only African country that maintains formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the self-governed island that China claims as part of its territory.
China and Taiwan compete for diplomatic recognition, and Beijing urges countries to cut official ties with Taiwan. Eswatini’s relationship with Taiwan has kept it apart from China’s broader diplomatic and trade initiatives in Africa.
China’s advisory refers to alleged security dangers, while local reporting has separately described detentions linked to illegal online gambling. The situation matters because it brings together diplomatic pressure, the safety of Chinese nationals and the legal treatment of people detained in Eswatini.
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