Chinese pressure derailing Lai’s Africa trip sparks backlash
Chinese pressure derailing Lai’s Africa trip sparks backlash
2026-04-22
President Lai Ching-te’s planned visit to Eswatini was abruptly canceled on Tuesday, one day before the scheduled departure. According to Taiwan’s national security agency, China pressured Seychelles, Madagascar, and Mauritius to deny overflight access, leaving no viable flight routes for Lai to get to Africa. The incident has sparked political controversy in Taiwan and drawn international attention. The opposition KMT denies any link to the recent meeting between KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun and Xi Jinping, while the DPP argues the move reflects Beijing’s broader oppressive tactics. US lawmakers and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China have condemned the actions as economic pressure. Beijing, however, simply praised the three countries for upholding the "one-China principle."
President Lai Ching-te’s trip to Eswatini on Wednesday was canceled after China pressured three countries off the coast of Africa to revoke their overflight permits for Lai. The KMT denied any connection between this and the recent meeting between KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Jonathan Lin
KMT Caucus Secretary-General
This is completely unrelated to the meeting between Cheng and Xi. We find it regrettable that the visit was canceled. We hope that the two sides of the strait can sit down and talk to secure more international space for us.
Fan Yun
DPP Caucus Secretary-General
Why would it be up to the KMT to claim whether it was related or not? Their so-called “peace mission” has flopped. Taiwan didn’t receive any benefits from it yet, but already it’s been dealt damage.
The incident has drawn the attention of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. In a statement, it sharply criticized China’s attempt at isolating Taiwan, adding that, as a democratic world leader, Lai should be free to engage with partners, and adding that Beijing cannot determine the foreign policy of other countries.
On social media, the US House of Representative Select Committee on China also condemned China’s efforts to block Lai’s trip by pressuring other nations. It said that what China was doing was not diplomacy, but economic pressure. Also on social media, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee criticized China’s actions, saying that the CCP was trying to bully Taiwan. It added that it stood with Taiwan against this blatant coercion.
According to the information gathered by Taiwan’s national security agencies, China pressured three countries—Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius—to close off their overflight clearance for Lai’s aircraft. Beijing threatened economic sanctions such as withdrawing massive debt relief and halting financing. Despite the international outcry, China appears smug and unbothered.
Zhang Han
Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson (China)
We express appreciation for the stance and actions of relevant countries in upholding the one-China principle. This has once again shown that the one-China principle is a basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing consensus of the international community.
Lee Kun-cheng
DPP spokesperson
China isn’t even pretending anymore, and straight-up praised the three African countries. The mastermind behind this plot is China. This crude tactic has much to do with the Xi-Cheng meeting, as both Xi Jinping and Cheng Li-wun adhere to the one-China principle.
Leonard Chao
Former ambassador to Eswatini
China has diversified its attacks on Taiwan, its unfriendliness and its hostility to create a new combined tactic. The threats surely weren’t limited to those three countries. They must have threatened others too. China is using economic tactics as its secret weapon.
China’s obstruction of overseas trips by Taiwan’s head of state and usage of both hard and soft tactics in its united front strategy against Taiwan have once again been put on the spotlight.
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#taiwan #seychelles #mauritius #madagascar #eswatini
中國施壓! 賴總統取消出訪史瓦帝尼 美參眾議院譴責
2026-04-22
總統賴清德原預計今(22號)出訪我國非洲唯一邦交國史瓦帝尼，但中國強力施壓周邊三國，取消飛航許可，導致賴總統被迫暫緩出訪，據了解中國提出各式經濟脅迫手段，而國台辦今更回應，對這種做法非常"讚賞"，民進黨立委痛批蠻橫、國際也紛紛聲援我國，美國參眾議院都表達譴責。
總統賴清德，原定今天出訪非洲友邦史瓦帝尼，但中國行前施壓周邊三國，取消專機飛航許可、府方緊急宣布暫緩出訪。國民黨第一時間連忙推稱，這跟"鄭習會"無關。
[[國民黨團書記長 林沛祥]]
“這個跟鄭習會完全無關。出訪未果，我們感到遺憾，我們期待可以真正地兩岸可以坐下來談，爭取更大的國際空間。”
[[民進黨團書記長 范雲]]
“有關或無關，怎會是國民黨說了算?和平之旅已經破功，為什麼?因為惠台還沒有發生，傷害就已經造成。”
中方蠻橫粗暴手法介入我國元首出訪，對中政策跨國議會聯盟IPAC，率先聲援，痛批中國無所不用其極孤立台灣，賴總統作為民選領袖，北京無權置喙。
而美國眾議院"對中特別委員會"則公開譴責中國施壓他國、是經濟脅迫非外交手段，美國眾議院外交委員會也批中共對台施壓霸凌，並強調美國會與台灣站在一起。
據國安單位掌握，中國針對塞席爾、馬達加斯加和模里西斯，三個專機航線途經國施壓，提出將撤銷巨額債務豁免、停止融資等經濟制裁手段逼迫。儘管遭國際同聲譴責，但中國卻得意洋洋。
[[中國國台辦發言人 張晗]]
“我們對有關國家堅持一個中國原則的立場和做法，表示讚賞。事實再次證明，一個中國原則，是國際關係基本準則，和國際社會普遍共識。”
[[民進黨發言人 李坤城]]
“中國直接不演了，稱讚這三個非洲國家。幕後黑手就是中國，中國這種粗暴的手法，其實就是跟習鄭會相關，因為習近平跟鄭麗文都是堅守一個中國原則。”
[[前駐史瓦帝尼大使 趙麟]]
“中國對於台灣的打擊，對台灣的這種不友善、敵意，已經變成一種多元化，這是一個新的組合拳。威脅對象不限於這三國，一定還有別的國家。祭出經濟方面的殺手鐧。”
中國百般阻撓台灣元首出訪，對台統戰軟硬兼施、大玩兩面手法，只會讓台灣人更加反感。
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