Taiwan President Cancels Eswatini Visit

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te canceled a planned trip to Eswatini, Taiwan's sole diplomatic ally in Africa, after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked flight permits for his aircraft. Taiwan's Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an stated that the revocations were due to 'intense pressure' and 'economic coercion' from China. China, which maintains the 'one China' principle, denied coercion but praised the African nations for upholding the principle. This marks the first publicly known instance of a Taiwanese leader canceling an overseas trip due to revoked airspace access. Lai Ching-te condemned China's 'coercive actions' on X, while Eswatini expressed regret but affirmed its longstanding relationship with Taiwan. The incident underscores the ongoing diplomatic challenges Taiwan faces and China's assertive stance in international affairs, particularly concerning countries that maintain formal ties with Taiwan.