China blocked Lai's Eswatini overflight
- Taiwan President Lai Ching-te postponed a planned April 22-26 trip to Eswatini after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked overflight permits, and Taipei said Beijing had pressured them to do it. - Taiwan then sent Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung to Eswatini as Lai’s special envoy, while China publicly praised the unnamed “relevant countries” for upholding the one-China principle. - Eswatini is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa and one of 12 worldwide, making the blocked route a test of Beijing’s campaign to narrow Taipei’s international space. (president.gov.tw)
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te canceled his Eswatini trip after three African states revoked overflight clearance for his plane. (president.gov.tw) (apnews.com) Taiwan’s Presidential Office said on April 21 that Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar withdrew permits without prior notice or explanation. Lai had been due to leave on April 22. (president.gov.tw) Secretary-General Pan Men-an said the trip to Eswatini was postponed after a national security review to protect the president, the delegation and the flight. He said China had applied “intense pressure,” including economic coercion. (president.gov.tw) (taipeitimes.com) The planned visit mattered because Eswatini is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa. Taiwan now has formal ties with 12 countries. (apnews.com) (channelnewsasia.com) Lai had been scheduled to attend the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne and celebrations for the king’s 58th birthday. Taipei said it would send a special envoy instead. (president.gov.tw) (taipeitimes.com) That envoy became Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, who arrived in Eswatini on April 25 and was received at King Mswati III International Airport by Eswatini ministers. (focustaiwan.tw) Lin said Taiwan would not be held back by “authoritarian forces” after the president’s trip was blocked. Reuters reported his arrival on April 26 after the canceled presidential visit. (straitstimes.com) (reuters.com) Beijing did not deny the outcome. In a statement on April 22, China’s foreign ministry said it “highly commends relevant countries’ commitment to the one-China principle.” (mfa.gov.cn) China’s statement also said all African countries except Eswatini have diplomatic ties with Beijing and repeated that there is “no longer a so-called ‘ROC president’ in the world anymore.” (mfa.gov.cn) Taipei called the airspace revocations unprecedented and said Beijing had used pressure on third countries to alter sovereign decisions. The immediate result was that Lai stayed home and Taiwan’s top diplomat went in his place. (president.gov.tw) (focustaiwan.tw)
