TAIPEI, April 21 (Reuters) – Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s trip to Eswatini this week has been cancelled after three African countries withdrew permission for him to fly over their territories to get there, his office said on Tuesday, blaming Chinese pressure.
“According to our understanding, three countries – the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar – unilaterally revoked flight permits for the presidential aircraft without prior warning. The actual reason was intense pressure exerted by Chinese authorities, including economic coercion,” the presidential office said in a statement.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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