China rejects US criticism of pressure on Taiwan flight permit
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was prevented from travelling to Eswatini after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for his aircraft to cross airspace they manage.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- African nations revoked Taiwan president's flight permits, forcing trip cancellation to Eswatini. This signals a new Chinese strategy to stifle Taiwan's international engagement.
- The US condemned this "abuse of the international civil aviation system" as China's intimidation campaign against Taiwan.
- Taiwan alleges China pressured countries with sanctions. China denied coercion but praised adherence to the "one-China principle."
AI generated
WASHINGTON – China’s Foreign Ministry on April 23 said it firmly opposes Washington’s criticism of Chinese pressure on some African countries to revoke overflight clearances for Taiwan’s President.
Taiwan this week said the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for its presidential aircraft to cross airspace they manage on a planned trip to Eswatini, one of Taiwan’s allies.
It is the first instance of a Taiwan president having to cancel an entire foreign trip due to denial of airspace access, representing a new Chinese strategy as it steps up efforts to stifle the island’s efforts to engage internationally.
Speaking at a daily press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Washington should stop interfering in China’s internal affairs using the Taiwan issue.
The US’ “unfounded criticism of the just measures taken by relevant countries to uphold the ‘one China’ principle completely confuses right and wrong and turns black into white”, Mr Guo told reporters.
The US State Department said the three countries acted at the behest of China, in another case of Beijing waging its “intimidation campaign” against Taiwan and its supporters.
“We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue, especially with Taiwan’s democratically elected leadership,” said Mr Raymond Greene, the top US diplomat in Taipei, on April 23.
The European Union and Britain’s de facto ambassador in Taipei also expressed concern.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te had been due to leave for the southern African kingdom of Eswatini on April 22, but said the night before that the trip had to be put off due to the airspace problems.
Taiwan has condemned China, saying it used economic “coercion” to get the three African countries to close their airspace. China has denied the pressure accusations and expressed its appreciation of the blocking of Mr Lai’s trip.
China says Taiwan is one of its provinces, with no right to state-to-state ties, a view Mr Lai and his government strongly reject.
Only 12 countries have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. REUTERS
