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Taiwan President Lai Ching-te Visits Eswatini After Three African Nations Deny Overflight Permits

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Taiwan President's Visit to Eswatini Proceeds After Overflight Denials

"A just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds little support."
— China's Taiwan Affairs Office, quoting philosopher Mencius

The Visit

Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te arrived in Eswatini on April 22 for a scheduled state visit, following a delay caused when three African nations withdrew permission for his aircraft to pass through their airspace. The visit is designed to strengthen bilateral ties, with Lai meeting King Mswati III and signing trade agreements.

Lai Ching-te arrived in the southern African kingdom on Saturday evening, April 22, for a visit originally scheduled from April 22 to 26. The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it did not announce the trip until after Lai landed safely, a precaution it described as having international precedents.

Lai participated in a military-style welcoming ceremony and met with King Mswati III, with the two sides signing trade agreements. The last Taiwanese presidential visit to Eswatini was in 2023 by former President Tsai Ing-wen.

Overflight Denials

Lai's travel was postponed after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked permission for his charter plane to fly through their airspace without prior notice.

A Taiwanese official stated the flight permits were withdrawn "due to strong pressure from the Chinese authorities, including economic coercion." Taiwan's Foreign Ministry described the countries' position as being "in servitude of China."

Seychelles and Madagascar stated their decisions were based on not recognizing Taiwan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it had "high appreciation" for the three countries' actions, stating they supported the one-China principle. It denied applying economic pressure to block the trip. A separate statement from China's Taiwan Affairs Office quoted the philosopher Mencius: "A just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds little support."

Statements from Involved Parties

Taiwan

  • Lai stated on social media that the visit aims to "affirm our longstanding friendship" and that Taiwan "will never be deterred by external pressures."
  • He thanked Eswatini for supporting Taiwan despite what he described as diplomatic and economic pressure.
  • The Presidential Office stated its diplomatic and national security teams spent days securing a revised route for the delegation.
  • Taiwan's Foreign Ministry replied that Lai's trip was conducted "in accordance with international law, international norms, diplomatic practices" and Taiwan's regulations.

China

  • A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Lai's visit a "laughable stunt" and said he was being "smuggled" out of Taiwan. The statement added that the visit "will always be a losing cause" and urged Eswatini to stop supporting "Taiwan independence" separatists.
  • The ministry stated that "nothing will ever change the fact that Taiwan is part of China."

Eswatini

  • The government of Eswatini said it "regrets" the canceled visit but stated the setback does not change its bilateral relations with Taiwan.

Kuomintang (KMT)

  • A senior KMT lawmaker urged China to show restraint and give Taiwan diplomatic space.

United States

  • The US House Select Committee on China wrote on social media that the incident represented "economic pressure aimed at isolating a democratic partner."

Background and Context

Taiwan and China have disputed sovereignty since the Chinese Civil War. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes the island having official diplomatic relations with other countries. China has not ruled out using force to reunify.

Eswatini is Taiwan's sole remaining diplomatic ally on the African continent.

Taiwan maintains 12 diplomatic allies globally: Belize, Guatemala, Paraguay, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, Eswatini, and the Vatican.

The incident follows a recent meeting in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan's opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun of the Kuomintang party. On the Friday before Lai's arrival, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Taiwan is the "biggest risk" in Beijing-Washington relations.