President Lai Visits Eswatini

May 5, 2026, 07:45
AfricaInternational

Introduction

President Lai Ching-te went to Eswatini for three days. He is now back in Taiwan.

Main Body

President Lai wanted to visit Eswatini in April. But some countries said no to his plane. China told these countries to stop the plane. China threatened to take away money and help. President Lai used a private plane on May 2. He met the King of Eswatini. They talked about farming, schools, and money. China says Taiwan is not a real country. But Taiwan says it has the right to visit other countries. The USA agrees with Taiwan. The USA says China is being mean.

Conclusion

President Lai is now at the airport in Taiwan. He wants Taiwan to talk to the world.

Learning

✈️ The 'Past Action' Pattern

Look at these words from the story:

  • went (go → went)
  • wanted (want → wanted)
  • said (say → said)
  • used (use → used)
  • met (meet → met)
  • talked (talk → talked)

The Secret: Most of these words end in -ed. This is the easiest way to tell a story about yesterday.

Quick Examples:

  • I want a coffee →\rightarrow I wanted a coffee.
  • He uses a phone →\rightarrow He used a phone.

Watch out! Some words are 'rebels' and change completely:

  • Go →\rightarrow Went
  • Say →\rightarrow Said
  • Meet →\rightarrow Met

Tip: If you see -ed, the action is already finished!

Vocabulary Learning

president
the elected head of a state or organization
Example:The president gave a speech to the nation.
country
a nation with its own government
Example:Sweden is a country in northern Europe.
plane
a vehicle that flies in the air
Example:The plane landed safely after a long flight.
private
belonging to a particular person; not public
Example:She booked a private room for the meeting.
king
a male ruler of a kingdom
Example:The king visited the village to meet the people.
farming
the activity of growing crops and raising animals
Example:Farming is an important part of the local economy.
school
a place where people learn
Example:Children go to school to study math and science.
money
currency used for buying goods
Example:He saved money to buy a new bicycle.
real
actually existing, not imaginary
Example:The real problem is how to reduce pollution.
right
a moral or legal entitlement
Example:Everyone has the right to a fair trial.
visit
to go to see someone or a place
Example:We will visit the museum tomorrow.
mean
unlike kind or harsh
Example:He was mean to his classmates.
airport
a place where planes land and take off
Example:The airport is busy with many flights.
world
the planet Earth or all people
Example:The world is facing many environmental challenges.