China Urges Its Citizens to Leave Eswatini Over ‘Security Risks’

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:08:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

China’s foreign ministry warns that cyber fraud and illegal gambling in Eswatini pose serious security risks, urging nationals to relocate to safer neighbouring countries.

In a fresh warning, China’s foreign ministry has advised its citizens to leave Eswatini, citing rampant cyber‑fraud and illegal gambling as serious security concerns. The advisory follows a wave of arrests of Chinese nationals in the southern African country over alleged online gambling offences, many of whom were later released by the High Court. Eswatini is one of twelve states that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a relationship Beijing vehemently opposes. Amid mounting pressure on Eswatini from China to cut ties with Taiwan, the country’s foreign ministry has warned that travellers may face high security risks and limited diplomatic assistance. The situation underscores the ongoing geopolitical tug‑of‑war between China and Taiwan, now spilling into Africa’s diplomatic arena.

China’s foreign ministry has issued a warning urging its nationals to leave Eswatini, citing “security risks” linked to rampant cyber fraud and criminal activity surrounding online gambling.

The advisory comes after a series of arrests in March during raids on alleged illegal online gambling centres in Eswatini’s capital, Mbabane. According to reports from a privately owned Times of Eswatini news site, 40 Chinese nationals were detained for immigration‑related offences. Their lawyers cited court fines and a High Court order that released them, arguing the subsequent re‑arrest was unlawful.

The Beijing statement advises Chinese citizens to relocate “as soon as possible” to “relatively safer” countries, most notably neighbouring South Africa. It warns that travellers who remain in Eswatini may face “extremely high security risks” and that the timing of assistance could be affected.

Eswatini is one of thirteen countries, the only one in Africa, that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan—a point of contention for China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory. In 2024, China pressured several African states to sever ties with the island republic to counter Taiwan’s growing diplomatic foothold.

The advisory follows earlier tensions when Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching‑te, was reportedly stopped from travelling to Eswatini in April as nearby countries revoked overflight permits. Lai eventually visited in May, a trip that China criticised as making him an “international laughing stock.”

China also lifted tariff deferrals for all African nations except Eswatini, further signalling its pressure on the tiny kingdom. The number of Chinese nationals residing or working in Eswatini remains unclear, but the advisory is perceived as a stark reminder of Beijing’s influence on sovereign diplomatic relations in the region.