Taiwan President Lai Ching-Te made an unannounced visit to Eswatini on May 2 after Taipei said Chinese pressure led to the cancellation of a previously scheduled trip. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes formal state-to-state ties, a position Taipei rejects. The article lists the 12 countries that still have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, concentrated in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific, plus Eswatini in Africa and the Vatican in Europe.
Lai Ching-Te’s Surprise Visit to Eswatini — A Look at Taiwan’s 12 Remaining Diplomatic Allies
FILE PHOTO: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te speaks at a press conference on defence spending in Taipei, Taiwan November 26, 2025. REUTERS/Yimou Lee/File Photo
Taiwan President Lai Ching-Te made a surprise trip to Eswatini on May 2, after Taipei said an earlier planned visit was cancelled amid what it described as pressure from Beijing. The visit underscores continuing tensions between Taiwan and China over diplomatic recognition.
Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes formal state-to-state diplomatic ties for Taipei; Taiwan's government strongly rejects that claim. Over the past decades, China has gradually persuaded a number of countries to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing, reducing the number of Taiwan's formal diplomatic allies.
List Of Taiwan's 12 Diplomatic Allies
Below are the states that currently maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, grouped by region.
Latin America And The Caribbean (7)
- Belize
- Guatemala
- Paraguay
- Haiti
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Pacific (3)
- Marshall Islands
- Palau
- Tuvalu
Africa (1)
- Eswatini
Europe (1)
- Vatican City
Eswatini remains Taiwan's only African diplomatic ally, while the Vatican is its sole European partner. The distribution of allies illustrates how Taiwan's official diplomatic network is now concentrated in parts of Latin America, the Pacific and two singular partners in Africa and Europe.
Reporting by Ben Blanchard.
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