Why China's looking to the skies to thwart Taiwan's diplomatic outreach
China pressured Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar to deny Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te permission to fly over their airspace, thwarting his visit to Eswatini. The US State Department blamed China for the cancellations, saying it was another case of Beijing's 'intimidation campaign' against Taiwan.
China may be using airspace control to thwart Taiwan's diplomatic efforts. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini was disrupted when Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar withdrew flight permits, reportedly due to Chinese pressure. Taiwan condemned the cancellations, blaming China's 'strong pressure' and 'economic coercion'. The US State Department also blamed China, citing its 'intimidation campaign' against Taiwan. China claims Taiwan is a breakaway province to be retaken by force if necessary and prohibits countries with diplomatic ties to China from maintaining formal ties with Taipei. Only 12 countries have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
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