MBABANE-The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini has rejected concerns raised by the People’s Republic of China over the safety and security of Chinese nationals, describing suggestions that Eswatini poses an exceptional or generalised security risk as unsupported.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli said the Eswatini Government had taken note of a travel advisory issued by the Chinese Government concerning its nationals in the Kingdom.
Mdluli acknowledged China’s sovereign right to provide consular guidance to its citizens but said Eswatini regretted any suggestion that the country was generally unsafe.
“The Kingdom respects the sovereign right of every State to issue consular guidance to its citizens,” the Government said, while maintaining that any portrayal of Eswatini as presenting an exceptional or widespread security threat was not supported by the facts on the ground.
The Government’s response comes after a recent law-enforcement operation involving foreign nationals, most of whom were Chinese citizens. According to the statement, the operation stemmed from suspected organised cyber-related criminal activity.
Rather than viewing the operation as evidence of a breakdown in public security, the Eswatini Government said the incident demonstrated the effectiveness and vigilance of its law-enforcement agencies.
The authorities said the suspected criminal activity had been detected and disrupted, with those involved subsequently subjected to due process under Eswatini law.
The Government stressed that the incident should not be used to portray the Kingdom as a centre of systemic crime or cybercrime, describing it instead as an isolated criminal operation that was successfully addressed by law-enforcement authorities.
“Eswatini remains a peaceful, stable and law-governed State,” the statement said, emphasising that citizens, residents and visitors of all nationalities are protected by the Constitution and the law.
The government also pushed back against any suggestion that Eswatini’s foreign policy or diplomatic relationships should be influenced by external pressure.
Mdluli said the kingdom’s foreign policy and diplomatic relations remained matters of sovereign national determination and that Eswatini would not allow itself to be coerced, disadvantaged or destabilised because of the lawful exercise of its sovereignty.
As reported by Chinese media, the Republic of China Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian was quoted saying that the Chinese government has issued a travel advisory following a cautious assessment to ensure the safety of its citizens.
China “will take necessary measures to safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens overseas,” Lin was quoted during a briefing in Beijing.
He mentioned that telecommunications fraud and online gambling are currently rampant in Eswatini, and risks related to public order and safety are extremely high.
Also, he highlighted that issuing security advisories is standard practice for countries around the world, and China has issued similar advisories in the past, he added.
Leave a comment