Taiwan President Cancels Africa Trip Amid China's Pressure

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te announced the cancellation of his planned trip to Eswatini. His decision follows accusations that China applied pressure on African countries to deny Lai's aircraft the right to fly over their territories.

Eswatini remains one of the few nations maintaining formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a point of contention for China. Lai's visit, which marks King Mswati III's accession anniversary, was thwarted after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar reportedly revoked flyover permissions without prior notice.

China's foreign ministry has yet to comment, but China has historically held the stance that Taiwan is a Chinese province with no sovereignty, despite Taiwan's efforts for international engagement. This cast a spotlight on China's influence and its tense relations with Taiwanese leaders.