TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s leader has scrapped his scheduled African trip this week following the withdrawal of overflight permissions by three nations, which his administration attributes to Chinese interference, officials announced Tuesday.
The presidential office released a statement saying, “According to our understanding, the cancellation of flight permits by Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar without prior warning was actually due to strong pressure from the Chinese authorities, including economic coercion.”
The visit by President Lai Ching-te to Eswatini, which represents Taiwan’s final diplomatic partner on the African continent, had been scheduled for April 22 through 26.
Beijing regards the independently governed island of Taiwan as a rogue territory that must be brought under its control, using military action if required, and prevents nations with which it maintains diplomatic relationships from establishing official connections with Taiwan’s government.
In recent years, China has escalated efforts to strip Taiwan of its remaining international partnerships.
Taiwan now maintains official diplomatic relationships with just 12 nations worldwide, predominantly smaller states located in Latin America, the Caribbean region, and Pacific islands.
