China today praised the decision by several African countries to refuse to authorize the overflight of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s plane, after Taipei suspended an official visit to Eswatini.
The trip, scheduled for this week, was canceled after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked flight clearances “without prior notice,” according to the Taiwanese government, which attributed the decision to pressure and “economic coercion” from Beijing.
In a press conference, Zhang Han, spokesperson for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, the Chinese executive branch, stated that Beijing “values the position and practice” of the countries involved for respecting the ‘one China’ principle.
“Those who follow the correct path enjoy broad support, while those who stray from it become isolated,” Zhang said, adding that the episode demonstrates that the principle constitutes a “basic norm of international relations” and a “universal consensus.”
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The ‘one China’ principle is one of the pillars of Chinese foreign policy and maintains that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory and that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate representative.
The reaction comes after Taipei announced on Tuesday the suspension of Lai’s trip to Eswatini, the island’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, where the leader was scheduled to participate in official events with King Mswati III.
The Secretary-General of the Taiwanese Presidency, Pan Men-an, classified the revocation of overflight authorizations as an “unprecedented” case, stating it was the first time a Taiwanese President had canceled a foreign visit for this reason.
The Taiwanese government has meanwhile presented a “strong protest” against the decisions by Seychelles and Madagascar, accusing them of following “distorted narratives” from Beijing.
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In a statement, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the island is “a sovereign and independent country” and rejected any subordination to China.
Lai himself stated that the alleged Chinese pressures “hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people” and guaranteed that “no threat” will prevent Taiwan from participating in the international community.
The government of Eswatini regretted the cancellation of the visit but stressed that it “does not alter” bilateral relations with Taiwan. In recent years, Beijing has intensified efforts to reduce the number of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, often through economic incentives and infrastructure projects.
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Currently, Taiwan maintains diplomatic relations with only 12 countries, mostly in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Lai, who took office in May 2024, had already been forced to cancel a visit to Latin American countries last year after failing to obtain authorization for a stopover in the United States.
