By:
Thomas Shattuck
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) was supposed to embark on his first diplomatic trip to Africa on April 22. The delegation was headed to the Kingdom of Eswatini for several days in honor of the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne. Eswatini, the last of Taiwan’s official diplomatic allies in Africa, is an absolute monarchy located in southern Africa. Mswati, who has 16 wives and over 30 children, attended Lai’s 2024 inauguration, and then-President Tsai Ing-wen visited the country in September 2023 before the end of her second term in office. For a moment, it looked as if Lai was going to do what a typical head of state does—carry out state-to-state diplomatic relations—which, given Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation, is a rare occurrence for its head of state. The Eswatini celebration will have many other leaders from around Africa in attendance, giving Lai potential exposure to other leaders on the continent.
By:
John Dotson
Yuchen Lee
Ben Levine
On March 30, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP, 中国共产党) publicly announced that it had extended an invitation to Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文), the chairperson of Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang Party (KMT, 國民黨), to lead a KMT delegation visit to the “mainland” (大陆) [i.e., the territory of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)]. The move had been widely rumored in Taiwan since Cheng’s election as KMT party chair in a party primary held in October 2025—following which Cheng quickly distinguished herself as an outspoken and controversial figure, in terms of both opposition to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民主進步黨) administration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), and her advocacy for friendlier ties with the PRC. The same day, the KMT chair’s office announced acceptance of the invitation—employing language that, in some aspects, closely echoed CCP narrative language about Taiwan.
By:
Klaas Dykmann
Should Paraguay switch diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), it would constitute a grave strategic setback for Taipei. Paraguay is the largest country out of Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partners, and a change in loyalties could catalyze a knock-on effect whereby other allies reconsider their ties. Besides the symbolic impact of such a move, Taiwan would lose a strategic partner in its international engagement in Latin America. Beyond emphasizing shared values and a recent democratic transition, Taiwan presently cooperates on a variety of development projects with Paraguay, covering the agricultural, medical, educational, and green technology sectors.
LATEST RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
By:
John Dotson
Yuchen Lee
Ben Levine
By:
Elizabeth Frost
Elena Yi-Ching Ho
Public Seminars
Events focused on topics relating to Taiwan, Taiwan-US relations, cross-Strait relations, and Taiwan’s global policy. Seminars are free and open to the public.
View All Articles
PODCASTS
Our podcast consists of brief, timely interviews with a wide range of policy experts, including academics, government officials, and journalists
Global Taiwan Insights
Global Taiwan Insights (formerly GTI Insights) consists of brief, timely interviews with a wide range of policy experts, including academics, government officials, and journalists.
TAIWAN SALON
Taiwan Salon examines Taiwan’s cultural policy and approach to soft power from perspectives both inside and outside the government.
TAIWAN SECURITY REVIEW
Taiwan Security Review is a policy podcast produced by the staff of GTI. Hosted by GTI Senior Non-Resident Fellow Alex Gray