Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a planned visit to Eswatini after several African nations revoked overflight permissions for his aircraft, in what Taipei described as pressure from Beijing.
According to a Taiwanese official, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew previously approved permits following what was described as “intense pressure” and economic coercion from China. Beijing denied the claim, instead commending the three countries and stating it had “high appreciation” for their actions.
The development marks the first publicly reported instance of a Taiwanese leader cancelling an overseas trip due to revoked airspace access.
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, remains Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa and one of just a dozen countries worldwide that formally recognise Taipei.
China continues to uphold its “one China” principle, asserting sovereignty over Taiwan, which it considers a breakaway province. However, many in Taiwan view the island as a sovereign state. Beijing has repeatedly warned it could use force if necessary to bring Taiwan under its control.
Chinese authorities have previously criticised Lai, describing him as a “troublemaker” and a “destroyer of cross-strait peace”.
In a post on X, Lai condemned China’s “coercive actions”, warning that they “exposed the risks authoritarian regimes pose to the international order”.
“No amount of threats or coercion will shake Taiwan’s resolve to engage with the world,” he said.
The government of Eswatini expressed regret over the cancellation, stating it would not “change the status of our longstanding bilateral relationship,” according to reports.
Lai had been scheduled to attend events marking the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said Beijing “appreciated the position and actions of the relevant countries in upholding the one-China principle”.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that it was “clear…[that] the so-called ‘President of the Republic of China’ no longer exists in the world,” referring to Lai’s official title.
According to Reuters, Seychelles and Madagascar said their decisions were based on their non-recognition of Taiwan.
In the United States, members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority said they “stood with Taiwan against this blatant coercion” in a post on X, while Senator Ted Cruz criticised Mauritius, saying it appeared “determined to ally with the Chinese Communist Party”.
