China’s foreign ministry has issued a stark advisory to its citizens, urging them to leave the southern African kingdom of Eswatini due to escalating security risks, according to a recent report by BBC Africa. The ministry cited ‘rampant cyber fraud and criminal activities associated with gambling’ as key concerns, but refrained from providing specific details. The advisory suggests its citizens should relocate to ‘relatively safer’ countries, notably neighboring South Africa, as a precautionary measure. Eswatini, one of the 12 countries with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, has long been a point of contention between the two nations. On Tuesday, a privately owned Times of Eswatini news site reported that 40 Chinese nationals have been detained since March following attempts to leave the country, primarily in Mbabane, the capital. These individuals were initially arrested on alleged illegal online gambling centers. The group’s lawyers had written to the attorney general and home affairs ministry, asserting they had pleaded guilty to immigration-related offenses and paid fines. The High Court subsequently released them, with lawyers stating they had been unlawful re-arrest. The Eswatini government has yet to issue a formal comment on the matter. In its advisory, China emphasizes that those who insist on traveling to or remaining in the country will face extremely high security risks, and the timeliness of assistance may be affected. The exact number of Chinese citizens working or residing in Eswatini remains unclear. China has long pressured countries to end diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and in April, Taiwan accused Beijing of attempting to sabotage President Lai Ching-te’s travel to Eswatini by pressuring nearby countries to revoke overflight permits. The original trip, originally planned for April 22-26, was cancelled following the development. Lai Ching-te eventually travelled to Eswatini in May, without disclosing the route. Following the visit, Beijing’s foreign ministry stated that Lai had become an ‘international laughing stock.’ Earlier this year, China scrapped tariffs for all African countries, except Eswatini. Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica.
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Source: BBC Africa
