Lesotho, a constitutional monarchy landlocked within South Africa, gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. China and Lesotho restored diplomatic relations in 1993, and cooperation has since spanned infrastructure, health and media. In November 2013, China’s press and broadcast regulator and Lesotho National Broadcasting Services signed a license agreement. More recently, Lesotho’s Foreign Affairs Minister Limpho Tau signed WAICO’s founding agreement on Lesotho’s behalf in July 2026, describing Lesotho as “very honored” to become a founding member and citing the need to “safeguard the common rights and interests of the Global South countries,” according to Xinhua.