China advises its citizens to leave Taiwan ally Eswatini over 'security risks'

China's foreign ministry has informed its citizens to leave the southern African kingdom of Eswatini over "security risks".

Key points

• The trip, originally planned for 22-26 April to mark the 40th anniversary of Eswatini's King Mswati III's accession, was cancelled after the development.
• In April, Taiwan accused Beijing of trying to derail its President Lai Ching-te's travel to Eswatini by pressuring nearby countries to revoke overflight permits.
• Eswatini is one of 12 countries, and the only one in Africa, that has diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
• The 40 were then published on the orders of the High Court, and their re-arrest was unlawful, the lawyers were quoted as saying.
• Lai eventually travelled to Eswatini in May, without saying how he reached the country.

For context, the ministry cited "rampant cyber fraud and criminal activities associated with gambling" as among its security reservations, but did not provide details.

It suggested its citizens relocate as shortly as feasible to "relatively safer" countries such as neighbouring South Africa.

Eswatini is one of 12 countries, and the only one in Africa, that has diplomatic relations with Taiwan. It china claims as part of its territory.

On Tuesday, the privately owned Times of Eswatini news site documented that 40 Chinese nationals have been in detention since last month, external after being arrested while trying to leave the country.

They were first arrested – along with dozens of other foreign nationals – in March during raids on alleged illegal online gambling centres in the main city, Mbabane, and surrounding areas, the news site documented.

Meanwhile, the group's lawyers had written to the attorney general and home affairs ministry, stating that they had pleaded guilty to immigration-related offences and had paid fines imposed by the courts, the news site documented.

Notably, the 40 were then published on the orders of the High Court, and their re-arrest was unlawful, the lawyers were quoted as saying. The Eswatini administration has not yet commented.

In its advisory to its citizens, China notes those who insist on travelling to or staying in the country will face "extremely high security risks, and the timeliness of assistance may be affected".

It is unclear how plenty of Chinese citizens work or live in Eswatini.

China has for years pressured countries to end diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

In practice, the trip, originally planned for 22-26 April to mark the 40th anniversary of Eswatini's King Mswati III's accession, was cancelled after the development.

Lai eventually travelled to Eswatini in May, without saying how he reached the country. None of the governments had confirmed the trip beforehand.

After the visit, Beijing's foreign ministry stated that Lai had become "an international laughing stock".

Earlier this year, China scrapped tariffs for all African countries, except Eswatini. You may additionally be interested in. What's behind China-Taiwan tensions? China scraps tariffs for all but one African nation. Taiwan president cancels trip after African countries revoke flight permits.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

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