Taiwan president postpones Eswatini trip after claims of China pressure

Taiwan’s president postponed a planned visit to Africa this week after three countries withdrew permission for him to fly over their territories, under pressure from China, his office said Tuesday.

“The cancellation of flight permits by three countries, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar, without prior warning, was actually due to strong pressure, including economic coercion, from the Chinese authorities,” Pan Meng-an, Secretary-General of Taiwan’s Presidential Office told reporters in Taipei.

President Lai Ching-te was set to visit Eswatini, Taiwan’s last remaining diplomatic ally in Africa, from 22 to 26 April.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary, and prohibits countries it has diplomatic relations with from maintaining formal ties with Taipei.

Over the past few years, Beijing has intensified a campaign of poaching Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.

Taipei currently has diplomatic ties with only 12 countries, almost all smaller nations in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific.