Mbabane : Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has abruptly postponed his scheduled visit to Eswatini, citing flight permit complications and security concerns, according to reports from Taiwan-based news sources.
Lai had been expected to depart for Eswatini on April 22 for an official visit to the kingdom, which remains Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa. However, according to reports the trip was called off on the eve of departure, with the Presidential Office convening an emergency press conference to announce the decision.
According to the reports, Secretary-General Pan Meng-an stated that the cancellation followed the temporary withdrawal of flight permits by several countries along the planned route. He said the decision was taken after a comprehensive assessment by Taiwan’s national security team, which considered the safety of the head of state, the delegation, and the flight itself.
“Due to the temporary cancellation of flight permits in several countries along the route, and after careful evaluation by the national security team, the trip will be postponed,” Pan said, according to the reports.
He added that Lai had since appointed a special envoy to represent Taiwan at Eswatini’s upcoming “Double Celebration” national events.
According to the same reports, Pan further alleged that the abrupt cancellation of flight clearances by Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar was not incidental, but rather the result of pressure exerted by Chinese authorities.
Pan claimed that the countries’ decisions to withdraw permits for the presidential aircraft were made suddenly and without prior notice, and attributed this to what he described as “strong pressure” and economic coercion from Beijing.
According to the reports, he said this development marked an unprecedented move to influence the sovereign decisions of third countries, raising concerns about flight safety and adherence to international norms and practices.
Pan also condemned what he termed as interference in the internal affairs of other nations, saying the actions disrupted regional stability and negatively affected the sentiments of the Taiwanese people.
“The Republic of China government strongly condemns Beijing’s rude actions,” he said, according to the reports.
He further reiterated Taiwan’s position that it is a sovereign state with the right to engage internationally. According to the reports, Pan stated that Taiwan’s 23 million people have the right to interact with the global community and that no country has the authority to prevent such engagement.
“Taiwan belongs to the world,” he said, adding that the government remained committed to strengthening its international ties.
Pan also expressed appreciation to what he described as like-minded countries that had assisted Taiwan in recent days in efforts to secure the necessary flight arrangements.
The cancellation comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei over Lai’s planned visit. As previously reported by China Daily, China had strongly opposed the trip, reiterating its adherence to the one-China principle and warning against any moves that could be interpreted as supporting Taiwanese independence.
In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier defended the visit as legitimate and routine, stating that China had no authority to dictate Taiwan’s international relations.
Lai’s now-postponed visit was expected to take place from April 22 to 26 and had drawn significant attention due to Eswatini’s unique diplomatic position as Taiwan’s sole ally on the African continent.
While the visit will no longer proceed as planned, according to the reports, Taiwan will still be represented at the kingdom’s national celebrations through the appointed special envoy.
However other reports suggested that the flight was delayed and not cancelled.
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