BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MBABANE– Government has strongly rejected sentiments by the People’s Republic of China suggesting that Eswatini faces extremely high public security risks.
The government has described such characterisation as unsupported by the prevailing security situation.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli said while the Kingdom respected the sovereign right of every State to issue consular guidance to its citizens, any suggestion that Eswatini presented an exceptional or generalised security threat was regrettable.
China this week issued a travel alert cautioning its citizens against travelling to Eswatini and urging Chinese nationals and institutions already in the country to evacuate at the earliest opportunity or relocate to relatively safer areas, including South Africa.
The advisory cited what Chinese authorities described as rampant telecommunications fraud and online gambling activities, as well as extremely high public security risks.
However, Government has dismissed attempts to use a recent law-enforcement operation involving foreign nationals, most of whom were Chinese, as evidence of widespread insecurity or systemic criminality in the country.
Mdluli said the operation had arisen from suspected organised cyber-related criminal activity, which was detected and disrupted before being subjected to due process under Eswatini law.
“Far from demonstrating a failure of public security, it affirms the vigilance and effectiveness of the Kingdom’s law-enforcement institutions,” Mdluli said.
She said Eswatini remained a peaceful, stable and law-governed State where citizens, residents and visitors of all nationalities enjoyed protection under the Constitution and the law.
Government, therefore, rejected what it described as an attempt to portray an isolated criminal operation as proof that the Kingdom had become a centre of systemic criminality or cybercrime.
The strong response follows remarks by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, who defended the travel alert during a daily briefing in Beijing yesterday.
According to China Daily, Lin said the advisory had been issued following what he described as a prudent assessment aimed at ensuring the safety of Chinese citizens.
He said telecommunications fraud and online gambling were rampant in Eswatini and that risks relating to public order and safety were extremely high.
Lin further said China would take necessary measures to safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of its citizens overseas.
The Global Times similarly reported that the Chinese Foreign Ministry had cautioned Chinese citizens against travelling to Eswatini for the time being and urged Chinese nationals and entities already in the country to leave as soon as possible.
The Chinese spokesperson maintained that the alert was not an unusual measure, saying security advisories were common practice internationally and that China had issued similar warnings in the past.
The matter also drew attention to the longstanding diplomatic divide between Eswatini and China, with Eswatini remaining one of the few countries in the world that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than Beijing.
When asked whether the absence of diplomatic relations between China and Eswatini had influenced the latest advisory, Lin maintained that China had issued similar security alerts before and stressed that the current warning was based on its assessment of security risks.
However, the Eswatini Government said the country’s foreign policy and diplomatic relations remained matters of sovereign national determination.
Mdluli said the Kingdom would not be coerced, disadvantaged or destabilised because of the lawful exercise of its sovereignty.
“The Kingdom further reaffirms that its foreign policy and diplomatic relations are matters of sovereign national determination,” she said.
Government further stressed that Eswatini sought peaceful relations with all nations and remained committed to constructive international engagement.
“As a peaceful nation and member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Eswatini seeks friendship with all and enmity with none,” Mdluli said.
She added that the country remained open to constructive international engagement founded on sovereign equality, mutual respect and non-interference.
The Government has made it clear that the safety and security of all people within the country, regardless of nationality, remained protected under the country’s laws.
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(Courtesy Pic)
