Taiwan president cancels Eswatini trip after African nations revoke flight permits
via The Namibian5 min read
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a planned trip to Eswatini, accusing China of pressuring other countries to deny his aircraft overflight permits. According to a Taiwanese official, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked Lai鈥檚 flight permits due to "intense pressure" and economic coercion from China. China denied coercion but praised the three Indian Ocean nations for upholding the "one China" principle. This marks the first time a Taiwanese leader has had to cancel a foreign trip due to revoked flight permits. Eswatini is Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Africa. Seychelles and Madagascar stated their decision was based on their non-recognition of Taiwan. Taiwanese officials claimed the revocations were "unexpectedly and without prior notice." China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification. President Lai criticized China's "coercive actions" on X, stating they "exposed the risks authoritarian regimes pose to the international order." The government of Eswatini expressed regret over the cancellation but affirmed that it would not alter their longstanding bilateral relationship. Lai was scheduled to attend celebrations for King Mswati III's 40th anniversary of accession and his birthday. A special envoy will attend on Lai's behalf. A spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office appreciated the countries' stance, and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the "so-called 'President of the Rep
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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