By Zweli Martin Dlamini
MBABANE:Prince Guduza,the Chairman of the Minerals Management Board led a high level delegation to the People’s Republic China(PRC) to engage potential investors as per an alleged instruction from King Mswati.
Eswatini is the only country in Africa with no diplomatic relations with China and royal insiders disclosed that,there are moves within the royal circles to engage China in this regard.
An investigation conducted by this Swaziland News on the passports of the Minerals Board members via the Government Immigration System uncovered evidence suggesting that,Prince Guduza and the delegation left the country on the 9th November 2023 via the King Mswati International Airport.
The delegation, according to the immigration records,spent almost two(2)weeks in China and returned on the 22nd November 2023.
A questionnaire was sent to Prince Guduza,the Chairman of the Minerals Management Board,however,he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News,Percy Simelane,the King’s Spokesperson said,the Minerals Management Board did not share any information regarding the trip to China hence,he was not aware of the trip or it’s purpose.
“No information was shared with us on the alleged travel to China by the Mineral Management Board.We therefore are not aware and would not know what they went to China for,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
But the trip to China allegedly angered Jeremy Liang,the Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Thursday evening, Jeremy Liang,the Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan said, he was not ready to comment about the alleged trip.
“I am not ready to comment about that”,said the Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan when speaking to this publication.
Responding to this Swaziland News on the subject matter,Brian Sangweni,the Spokesperson of eSwatini’s main and largest political party, the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) said, even though Taiwan might perceive the trip as diplomatic prostitution, as an organization, they welcome the intended shift from Taiwan to China.
“It’s part of our policy as PUDEMO to ensure that Taiwan is isolated and treated as a province of China. So we welcome the intended shift from Taiwan to China particularly because, we believe as a country we can benefit from China more that what we are getting from Taiwan,” said the PUDEMO National Spokesperson.
