TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Mauritius, Madagascar and Seychelles abruptly revoked flight permits for President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) plane en route to Eswatini on Wednesday (April 22), prompting Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) to strongly condemn China. The incident complicated Lai's diplomatic journey to Taiwan's African ally and drew international attention to Beijing's pressure tactics.
A team under Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB, 國家安全局) devised three contingency plans to address the airspace restrictions: altering the flight route, landing in a third country and disregarding the airspace limitations. Despite these efforts, the team reportedly could not overcome the restrictions. MOFA spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) stated, "China's remarks showed that they are behind this incident. They used blatant political pressure to interfere with international civil aviation and politicize the flight information region."
China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO, 國台辦) praised the countries involved on Wednesday, asserting that the "One China principle" remains an unstoppable international trend. The incident underscored China's influence in Africa, where Mozambique President Daniel Chapo recently visited Beijing and emphasized a strong brotherly bond with China.
Public reactions varied, with Taipei City Councilor Chang Chih-hao (張志豪) noting the importance of considering fuel sufficiency and safe landing options when rerouting flights. Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) legislator Yu Hao (游顥) questioned MOFA's planning, suggesting that President Lai might be staging a political drama. Details on the final flight route were not immediately available. ◼