China hails countries for blocking Taiwan president's flight

China said Wednesday it had "high appreciation" for the African countries that denied overflight rights to the plane of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, forcing him to cancel a trip to Eswatini.

China claims self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes the island having diplomatic relations with other countries.

Lai was to visit Eswatini, Taiwan's only remaining ally on the African continent, from April 22-26.

But that plan was shelved after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly withdrew flight permits "due to strong pressure from the Chinese authorities, including economic coercion," a Taiwanese official said Tuesday.

What did China say about the Taiwan president's trip?

Beijing denied it had applied economic pressure to block Lai's trip, but at the same time said it had "high appreciation" for the three countries' actions.

"Relevant countries maintained support for the one-China principle, completely in line with ... the basic norms of international relations, China expresses high appreciation," China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"No one can stop the historical trend of China's eventual reunification," the statement added, referring to Beijing's claims over Taiwan.

Separately, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office told reporters, "A just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds little support," quoting the ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius.

Eswatini 'regrets' canceled trip

Seychelles and Madagascar said they took the decision because they do not recognize Taiwan.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday described the countries' position as being "in servitude of China."

"The Republic of China is a sovereign state with the ​right to engage with the world — a right that cannot be denied, and that no country has the standing to obstruct," it added in a statement, referring to Taiwan by its formal name.

Eswatini, a tiny southern African kingdom formerly known as Swaziland, is one of just 12 countries with diplomatic ties to Taiwan.

A spokesperson for the Eswatini government said it "regrets" Lai did not visit, but stressed the setback "does not change the status of our longstanding bilateral relations."

How have others reacted?

The development comes after Taiwan's opposition leader Cheng Li-wun, head of the Kuomintang (KMT), met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. 

The opposition party, which often clashes with Lai's government, urged China to show restraint and give Taiwan diplomatic space.

"I think mainland China's pressure is not clever, especially after the Cheng-Xi meeting," senior KMT lawmaker Lai Shyh-bao told reporters in Taipei.

Several lawmakers in the US also voiced concern over the incident.

"This is not ​diplomacy; it is economic pressure aimed ⁠at isolating a democratic partner," the US House Select Committee on China wrote on X.

Edited by: Sean Sinico