TAIWAN-DEFENCE-MILITARY
Taiwan has assisted Eswatini in training pilots and aircraft maintenance personnel, deepening cooperation between the two sides through technical exchanges.

King Mswati III of Eswatini, who is visiting Taiwan, on Oct. 11 thanked Taiwan for donating military helicopters and helping train Eswatini pilots and maintenance personnel. Accompanied by President Lai Ching-te, the king visited an Army aviation and special operations training unit in Tainan that day to learn about Taiwan's aviation training and related equipment.

According to a Central News Agency report published Oct. 11, Taiwan donated two retired UH-1H helicopters to Eswatini in 2020. Taiwan also helped train 11 Eswatini pilots and maintenance personnel between 2019 and 2020 to support the operation and maintenance of the helicopters.

King Mswati III said the helicopters had proved useful in Eswatini, including by helping transport patients unable to reach medical facilities on their own and carrying out emergency medical missions.

Aviation training becomes part of bilateral cooperation

During the visit, the king and queen viewed a helicopter display and tried a military helicopter flight simulator. Lai thanked the Republic of China military personnel involved in the training and cooperation, saying the work would help deepen Taiwan's diplomatic ties with Eswatini.

Eswatini is one of Taiwan's key formal diplomatic allies in Africa. Cooperation between the two sides covers diplomacy, agriculture, health care, education and other technical exchanges. The aviation training visit also highlighted that bilateral cooperation extends beyond government-to-government diplomacy to personnel training and equipment use.

Helicopters support emergency medical transport

The king said the helicopters had helped transport some patients to medical facilities, demonstrating their practical value for emergency medical transport. The example also shows that, in certain circumstances, military aviation equipment can support humanitarian relief and public services in addition to defense operations.

However, the helicopters' long-term serviceability will depend on maintenance capabilities, spare-parts supplies, personnel training and operating costs. The sustainability of the cooperation will affect the equipment's practical benefits in the future.

King's visit continues bilateral exchanges

King Mswati III arrived in Taiwan on Oct. 9. It is his 20th visit since he ascended the throne in 1986, and the trip is focused primarily on attending events related to Taiwan's National Day. According to information from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his itinerary also includes observing military exercises, visiting agricultural research institutions and taking part in investment exchanges. The visit is scheduled to end on Oct. 17.

For Taiwan, maintaining long-term cooperation with Eswatini helps sustain bilateral diplomatic and technical exchanges. For Eswatini, the equipment and personnel training can support its aviation capabilities and some public-service needs.

What remains to be seen is whether the two sides will launch new cooperation projects in aviation training, agricultural technology, health care and investment, as well as how the existing equipment will be maintained over the long term.