Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said Tuesday he canceled a planned visit to Eswatini after Taipei accused China of pressuring several African countries to deny overflight access to his aircraft.
The small southern African nation of Eswatini is one of only 12 countries to retain formal ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan. Lai was due to leave on Wednesday for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession.
Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Meng-an said the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for the presidential aircraft to cross their countries on his journey without prior warning.
"The actual reason was intense pressure exerted by Chinese authorities, including economic coercion," he told a hastily called news conference in Taipei.
China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China, which has deep economic and political ties with Africa, says Taiwan is one of its provinces with no right to call itself a country. Speaking to Mozambique's President Daniel Chapo in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged support for the continent and its development needs, according to a state media read-out that did not mention Lai's cancelled visit to Eswatini.
