Taiwan President Lai Ching-te arrives in Eswatini, Taipei’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after an earlier trip was disrupted. Several outlets report that Lai had planned to travel to Eswatini sooner, but the original itinerary was cancelled when multiple countries revoked or declined overflight permits. Taiwan officials and an adviser cited what they describe as “intense pressure” from China as the reason for the permit withdrawals, leading to the cancellation of the first attempt.
After the disrupted plans, Lai announces his arrival in Eswatini on Saturday, with the visit proceeding as a delayed trip. Daily Sabah and Hong Kong Free Press both describe the cancellation and attribute it to China’s alleged pressure on overflight access, while The Diplomat characterizes the subsequent trip as a surprise or successful visit conducted after the earlier cancellation.
The reports agree that China’s role is central to Taiwan’s explanation for why overflight permits were removed. The sources describe Eswatini as Taiwan’s lone diplomatic partner in Africa and frame the visit as occurring soon after the earlier high-profile disruption.
