Taiwan president blames China for forced cancellation of Eswatini trip

Lai Ching-te abandons visit after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoke overflight permission Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, has cancelled his trip to Eswatini, the democratic island’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after his government said several countries had revoked overflight permits because of “intense pressure” from China. Lai was to leave on Wednesday for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession. The secretary general of Taiwan’s presidential office, Pan Meng-an, said Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unilaterally and without warning revoked flight permits for the presidential aircraft to cross their countries. “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 and has no right to call itself a country. Speaking to Mozambique’s president, Daniel Chapo, in Beijing on Tuesday, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, pledged support for the continent and its development needs, acco