Tainan, Taiwan – His Majesty King Mswati III travelled from Taipei to Tainan on Sunday as part of his official visit to Taiwan, where engagements with President Lai Ching-te covered agricultural innovation, aviation technology, investment and cooperation between the two countries.
The King, accompanied by his delegation, departed Taipei early in the morning aboard a special military flight. President Lai travelled alongside him to Tainan Army Base, where the two leaders began a programme of official activities before visiting development projects in the city.
One of the day’s engagements took place at the Tainan Army Aviation Training Center, where King Mswati III participated in a flight simulator exercise. 
President Lai described the King as a ‘natural pilot’ with excellent technique following the simulation. He presented His Majesty with a certificate and a command jacket before inviting him to board a Black Hawk helicopter, allowing him to experience the difference between simulated flying and sitting inside an actual aircraft cockpit.
Liphovela LaZuma accompanied the King during the guided tour of the aviation training centre.
The royal delegation later visited the Floral Innovation Park under Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture, where officials demonstrated how technology is being applied to improve the island’s agricultural sector.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin presented King Mswati III with a potted orchid decorated with the colours of Eswatini’s national flag. The design was printed onto the flower’s white petals using a Taiwanese spray dyeing technique, showcasing the country’s application of technology in floral production.
The visit provided an opportunity for the Eswatini delegation to observe Taiwan’s approach to agricultural innovation and the use of modern techniques in supporting its farming industries.
Following the engagements in Tainan, King Mswati III returned to Taipei by high speed train.
The visit comes after a series of engagements in Taiwan’s capital, where the King attended National Day celebrations and a reception dinner, as well as a business dinner hosted by Tex-Ray Group, a major textile company.
During the business dinner, His Majesty expressed appreciation to Tex-Ray Group and its chairman, Ray Lin, for their longstanding investment in Eswatini, as well as their continued trust and confidence in the country’s economy.
The textile sector has been an important area of economic cooperation between Eswatini and Taiwan, with Taiwanese investment contributing to industrial activity and employment in the Kingdom.
Beyond the business engagements, the two governments also held high level diplomatic discussions on strengthening their economic partnership.
Eswatini and Taiwan agreed to develop a concrete working plan to monitor progress on the proposed Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park (TIIP). The initiative is intended to advance industrial development and deepen cooperation between the two partners.
