President Lai Postpones Allied Visit; EU: Airspace Management Should Not Be a Political Tool
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's visit to allied nation Eswatini was postponed due to unexpected flight permit revocations. The EU stated that airspace management decisions should be transparent, predictable, and based on safety, not used as political tools. Taiwan condemned mainland China's actions as violating international norms.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 00:24
- 🔍 Collected: April 22, 2026 at 00:32 (7 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 01:33 (1h 1m after Collected)
Central News Agency (Brussels, April 21, Correspondent Wu Bo-wei) President Lai Ching-te's visit to allied nation Eswatini has been postponed due to several countries unexpectedly revoking flight permits for his special plane. An EU spokesperson stated today that decisions regarding airspace management should be transparent and predictable, based on safety and stability, and should not be used as a means to achieve political objectives.
The EU spokesperson responded to the Central News Agency, stating that they were aware of the revocation of flight permits for President Lai's special plane.
The spokesperson pointed out that the right to overfly airspace is fundamental to international civil aviation, and the predictability and neutrality of airspace management are crucial for aviation safety, economic and trade exchanges, and diplomatic relations. Although countries have sovereignty over their airspace, related decisions should be based on transparency and predictability, with aviation safety and operational stability as primary considerations. Such decisions should not be used as a means to achieve political objectives.
The spokesperson emphasized that the EU highly values the safe, orderly, and predictable operation of international civil aviation within the framework of the "Chicago Convention."
President Lai was originally scheduled to visit the Kingdom of Eswatini, an African ally, from April 22 to 27. However, on the evening of April 21, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an held an impromptu press conference, stating that three countries—Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar—had temporarily revoked flight permits for the presidential special plane. Considering the safety of the head of state and the visiting delegation, the trip was decided to be postponed.
The Presidential Office statement pointed out that such actions, which are unprecedented internationally and involve coercing a third country to change its sovereign decision by threatening means, not only impact flight safety and violate relevant international norms and practices but also constitute a blatant interference in other countries' internal affairs, undermining the regional status quo and hurting the feelings of the Taiwanese people. The government of the Republic of China strongly condemns Beijing's crude actions. (Editor: Chen Cheng-chien) 1150421
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The EU spokesperson responded to the Central News Agency, stating that they were aware of the revocation of flight permits for President Lai's special plane.
The spokesperson pointed out that the right to overfly airspace is fundamental to international civil aviation, and the predictability and neutrality of airspace management are crucial for aviation safety, economic and trade exchanges, and diplomatic relations. Although countries have sovereignty over their airspace, related decisions should be based on transparency and predictability, with aviation safety and operational stability as primary considerations. Such decisions should not be used as a means to achieve political objectives.
The spokesperson emphasized that the EU highly values the safe, orderly, and predictable operation of international civil aviation within the framework of the "Chicago Convention."
President Lai was originally scheduled to visit the Kingdom of Eswatini, an African ally, from April 22 to 27. However, on the evening of April 21, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an held an impromptu press conference, stating that three countries—Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar—had temporarily revoked flight permits for the presidential special plane. Considering the safety of the head of state and the visiting delegation, the trip was decided to be postponed.
The Presidential Office statement pointed out that such actions, which are unprecedented internationally and involve coercing a third country to change its sovereign decision by threatening means, not only impact flight safety and violate relevant international norms and practices but also constitute a blatant interference in other countries' internal affairs, undermining the regional status quo and hurting the feelings of the Taiwanese people. The government of the Republic of China strongly condemns Beijing's crude actions. (Editor: Chen Cheng-chien) 1150421
Choose to stand with the facts; every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.