Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a trip to the southern African nation of Eswatini, accusing China of putting pressure on other countries to bar his aircraft from flying over their territories.
Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked Lai's flight permits after intense pressure and economic coercion from China, said a Taiwan official. China denied coercion while praising the three Indian Ocean nations, expressing a high appreciation for their stance.
This incident marks the first publicly known instance where Taiwan's leader has had to cancel a trip due to revoked flight permits.
Eswatini is one of just 12 nations that officially recognize Taiwan and is the only one in Africa.
According to Reuters, Seychelles and Madagascar cited their non-recognition of Taiwan as the reason behind their decision.
Taiwanese officials reported that the flight permit revocations came unexpectedly and without prior notice.
China adheres to the one China principle, asserting sovereignty over Taiwan, while the Taiwanese view themselves as a separate, sovereign nation.
Beijing sees the self-governed island as a breakaway province and has not ruled out using force to achieve reunification.
The Chinese government has been vocal about its disdain for Lai, previously referring to him as a troublemaker and destroyer of cross-strait peace. In response to the flight permit cancellations, Lai criticized China's coercive actions, emphasizing that it reveals risks posed by authoritarian regimes to the global order.
No amount of threats or coercion will shake Taiwan's resolve to engage with the world, he stated.
The government of Eswatini expressed regret over Lai's inability to visit but stated that it would not impact their longstanding bilateral relationship.
Lai was scheduled to visit from April 22 to 26 to attend celebrations for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession and the king's birthday.
As a result of the cancellation, Taiwan plans to appoint a special envoy to attend the celebrations on Lai's behalf.
At a press briefing, a spokesperson from China's Taiwan Affairs Office stated that Beijing appreciated the actions of the relevant countries in upholding the one-China principle.
The US has criticized Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar over the flight permit revocations, with some officials voicing support for Taiwan against what they describe as blatant coercion from China.
Senator Ted Cruz remarked on Mauritius’ decision, implying that it seems determined to align with the Chinese Communist Party.
