ESWATINI TRIP:
The ‘irresponsible actions’ of three African nations set a dangerous precedent and they should be held accountable, a US representative said
-
By Su Yung-yao and Lin Tsuei-yi / Staff reporters in TAIPEI and TOKYO
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday urged Washington not to normalize Chinese pressure, while a US lawmaker called on the US government to hold countries accountable for yielding to Beijing’s pressure to block President William Lai’s (賴清德) planned trip to Eswatini.
Lai had been scheduled to visit Eswatini to attend birthday events for King Mswati III of Eswatini this week, but on Tuesday, the eve of his planned departure on Wednesday, the Presidential Office said the trip was “suspended” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly withdrew overflight permission.
“China reportedly pressured Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar to deny airspace access to Taiwan’s President Lai, escalating Beijing’s campaign to isolate Taiwan,” the committee wrote on X.
Photo: CNA
“That is not just coercion; it is a disturbing breach of civil aviation norms. The U.S. should not let China normalize this — and should be clear-eyed about our relations with countries that so quickly bend to its pressure,” it said.
Several US lawmakers have also taken to social media to voice support, accusing the Chinese Communist Party of once again bullying a US ally and backing Taiwan’s right to participate in the international community.
According to information provided by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, US Representative Tom Tiffany has written to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, expressing concern over the actions of the three African nations, which he described as “client states” of China and accused them of violating international civil aviation norms.
The “irresponsible actions” of the three nations set a dangerous precedent, Tiffany was cited as saying in the letter, urging the US government to take steps to hold them accountable.
There should be a freeze on the more than US$100 million in foreign aid recently pledged to Madagascar by the US, Tiffany said.
He also urged Washington to consider placing Mauritius on a “travel ban” list, saying that the country has long sought to push the UK out of the strategically important Chagos archipelago.
The US should suspend any consideration or discussions on including Seychelles in the US’ Visa Waiver Program, he added.
The US Department of State on Wednesday told reporters that it was concerned about the situation involving Lai’s planned flight to Eswatini.
Countries should not interfere at China’s request with the safety of routine visits by Taiwanese officials, it said.
It also urged China to stop pressuring Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue.
Japanese political figures also spoke out in support of Taiwan.
Japanese Representative Keiji Furuya, head of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, wrote on X yesterday that interfering through other countries for political purposes is an extremely heavy-handed act.
Ensuring aviation safety and security is a shared interest of the international community, and all countries should operate with transparency, Furuya said.
In Taipei, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) welcomed the continued support for Taiwan from US officials, as well as like-minded partners.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent country with the right to conduct normal diplomatic relations with its allies and international partners, Lin said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China should not use political pressure to interfere with international civil aviation and Taiwan’s legitimate diplomatic engagement with other countries.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party caucus proposed a motion in the legislature to condemn the Chinese government over its heavy-handed actions, and called on like-minded democratic partners around the world to take seriously China’s use of economic and diplomatic coercion against other countries.
The proposal was sent directly to a second reading without objections and referred for cross-party negotiation.
Additional reporting by Fang Wei-li and Chen Cheng-yu
