Taiwan President Cancels Africa Trip, Accuses China of Blocking Airspace

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a planned diplomatic visit to Eswatini, accusing China of pressuring neighbouring countries to deny his aircraft access to their airspace.

According to Taiwanese officials, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar withdrew previously granted overflight permits following what was described as “intense pressure” and economic coercion from Beijing. China, however, denied the allegations and instead commended the African nations for upholding its diplomatic stance.

The cancelled trip marks the first publicly known instance of a Taiwanese leader being forced to abandon an international यात्रा due to revoked flight permissions.

Eswatini remains Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa and one of just a handful of countries worldwide that formally recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state. The visit was expected to include participation in events marking the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne.

Beijing maintains its long-standing “One China” policy, which asserts that Taiwan is part of its territory, a position that continues to fuel tensions between the two sides. Chinese authorities have repeatedly criticised Lai, previously labelling him a destabilising figure in cross-strait relations.

Reacting to the development, Lai condemned what he described as China’s “coercive actions,” stating that such moves expose risks to global stability and international order. He insisted that Taiwan remains committed to engaging with the global community despite mounting pressure.

Eswatini’s government expressed regret over the cancellation but reaffirmed that the incident would not affect its longstanding diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

The situation underscores the growing geopolitical tension surrounding Taiwan’s international engagement, particularly as Beijing continues efforts to isolate the island diplomatically.