Beijing Pressures 3 Nations to Block President Lai's Visit; US Scholar: A Wake-Up Call for the World
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's planned visit to Eswatini was postponed after China pressured three African nations to cancel his flight permits. US scholars describe this as a wake-up call indicating China's aid comes with conditions.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 09:46
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 10:01 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 04:07 (18h 5m after Collected)
Central News Agency (CNA)
(CNA Reporter Hou Tzu-ying, Washington, 23rd) President Lai Ching-te's planned visit to diplomatic ally Eswatini was postponed after three African island nations canceled his chartered flight's overflight permits. A U.S. scholar pointed out today that this serves as a wake-up call for countries worldwide, showing that "China's friendship and generosity come with strings attached"; when President Lai has the opportunity to visit another diplomatic ally, Washington should arrange for his transit through the United States according to convention.
President Lai was originally scheduled to visit African ally Eswatini on the 22nd, but Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar suddenly canceled the flight permits for his special plane, leading to the postponement of the trip. China's use of economic coercion to pressure third countries and obstruct the Taiwanese head of state's overseas visits has sparked international concern.
Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund, a Washington-based think tank, responded to a CNA reporter's email inquiry today, stating that this should be a wake-up call for all countries globally: "China's friendship and generosity come with strings attached."
As for how Taiwan should respond, she stated that Taiwan should focus its attention wherever it can be effective and strive to be a good cooperative partner. "When President Lai has the opportunity to visit another diplomatic ally, Washington should, in accordance with past practice, arrange a US transit for him."
Richard Bush, former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and currently a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, also said in an interview that there is no doubt this is part of the coercive campaign China has waged since the Democratic Progressive Party took office in 2016, and diplomatic interference against Taiwan is on Beijing's action list.
However, Bush pointed out that fortunately, high-level Taiwanese officials traveling to the US do not need flight permits from other countries to arrive; the only permission likely needed is from Japan, but Tokyo will not succumb to such pressure from China.
In addition, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), an advocacy organization, issued a press release today stating that 33 overseas Taiwanese groups strongly condemn Beijing's manipulation of third-country flight permits as a coercive tool to bully Taiwan.
The press release noted that a coalition initiated by overseas Taiwanese communities jointly urged the US government and the international community to not only condemn Beijing's diplomatic coercion but also help mediate with Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar to urge them to restore the flight permits for President Lai's special plane as soon as possible.
These 33 overseas Taiwanese groups include the Formosan Association for Public Affairs, World Federation of Taiwanese Associations, North American Taiwanese Professors' Association, Taiwanese Association of America, Taiwanese Canadian Association, European Federation of Taiwanese Associations, Taiwanese Association in Paraguay, and the All Japan Taiwanese Union, among others.
After taking office, President Lai visited Pacific allies including the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau in late 2024, transiting through Hawaii and Guam in the US. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150424
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(CNA Reporter Hou Tzu-ying, Washington, 23rd) President Lai Ching-te's planned visit to diplomatic ally Eswatini was postponed after three African island nations canceled his chartered flight's overflight permits. A U.S. scholar pointed out today that this serves as a wake-up call for countries worldwide, showing that "China's friendship and generosity come with strings attached"; when President Lai has the opportunity to visit another diplomatic ally, Washington should arrange for his transit through the United States according to convention.
President Lai was originally scheduled to visit African ally Eswatini on the 22nd, but Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar suddenly canceled the flight permits for his special plane, leading to the postponement of the trip. China's use of economic coercion to pressure third countries and obstruct the Taiwanese head of state's overseas visits has sparked international concern.
Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund, a Washington-based think tank, responded to a CNA reporter's email inquiry today, stating that this should be a wake-up call for all countries globally: "China's friendship and generosity come with strings attached."
As for how Taiwan should respond, she stated that Taiwan should focus its attention wherever it can be effective and strive to be a good cooperative partner. "When President Lai has the opportunity to visit another diplomatic ally, Washington should, in accordance with past practice, arrange a US transit for him."
Richard Bush, former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and currently a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, also said in an interview that there is no doubt this is part of the coercive campaign China has waged since the Democratic Progressive Party took office in 2016, and diplomatic interference against Taiwan is on Beijing's action list.
However, Bush pointed out that fortunately, high-level Taiwanese officials traveling to the US do not need flight permits from other countries to arrive; the only permission likely needed is from Japan, but Tokyo will not succumb to such pressure from China.
In addition, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), an advocacy organization, issued a press release today stating that 33 overseas Taiwanese groups strongly condemn Beijing's manipulation of third-country flight permits as a coercive tool to bully Taiwan.
The press release noted that a coalition initiated by overseas Taiwanese communities jointly urged the US government and the international community to not only condemn Beijing's diplomatic coercion but also help mediate with Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar to urge them to restore the flight permits for President Lai's special plane as soon as possible.
These 33 overseas Taiwanese groups include the Formosan Association for Public Affairs, World Federation of Taiwanese Associations, North American Taiwanese Professors' Association, Taiwanese Association of America, Taiwanese Canadian Association, European Federation of Taiwanese Associations, Taiwanese Association in Paraguay, and the All Japan Taiwanese Union, among others.
After taking office, President Lai visited Pacific allies including the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau in late 2024, transiting through Hawaii and Guam in the US. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150424
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's "First Hand News" APP to instantly grasp the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.