3 African nations revoke airspace access, forcing Taiwan president to cancel Africa trip
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a planned visit to Eswatini after three African countries revoked overflight permissions for his aircraft, in a move Taipei says was driven by pressure from China.
Black News 
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a planned visit to Eswatini after three African countries revoked overflight permissions for his aircraft, in a move Taipei says was driven by pressure from China.
- Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te canceled his planned visit to Eswatini after three African countries withdrew overflight permissions for his aircraft.
- Taiwan attributes the sudden withdrawal to diplomatic pressure from China, which opposes Taiwan's international engagement.
- Eswatini is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, making the visit symbolically important amid Beijing's efforts to diplomatically isolate Taiwan.
- Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar cited adherence to the 'One China' policy for denying airspace access to Lai's flight.
Lai had been scheduled to travel from April 22 to 26 to attend celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne.
Eswatini remains Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, making the visit symbolically significant as Beijing intensifies efforts to isolate the island internationally.
According to Taiwan’s Presidential Office, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar withdrew previously granted permissions for the presidential aircraft to pass through their airspace, without prior notice.
Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Meng-an said the decision followed “intense pressure” from Chinese authorities, including threats of economic coercion, he told Reuters.
Beijing’s influence deepens across African diplomacy
Officials in the affected countries, however, maintained that their decisions were based on long-standing foreign policy positions.
![Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and leaders from African nations prepare to pose for a group photo prior to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at The Great Hall of People on September 5, 2024 in Beijing, China. [Getty Images]](https://ocdn.eu/pulscms/MDA_/0c3c13ce30a26be11bb5470e0964e044.jpg)
Authorities in Seychelles and Madagascar reiterated adherence to the “One China” policy, under which they do not recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state, officials told Reuters.
A senior Taiwanese security official also told Reuters that Beijing may have applied pressure on the three countries, including threats linked to economic ties and debt relief.
China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, has steadily reduced Taipei’s diplomatic allies over the past decade. Taiwan now maintains formal relations with just 12 countries globally, mostly smaller nations across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
Lai, responding to the development in a Facebook post, said China’s “suppressive actions” highlight the risks posed by authoritarian influence on global stability.
The cancelled trip would have marked Lai’s first overseas visit since November 2024, when he travelled to Pacific allies including the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, and transited through Hawaii and Guam.
