The Kingdom of Eswatini was the only independent African country that did not attend the just-concluded 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing. Eswatini also happens to be the only African country that recognizes Taiwan as an independent state. The Associated Press quoted a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson last week that it was not in Eswatini’s interest to develop official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Government spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo tells VOA’s James Butty, Eswatini is not an enemy of any country, including China.