Lai lands in Eswatini in a trip delayed by lack of overflight clearance

[AP Photo]

Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te said he arrived in the African nation of Eswatini over the weekend, days after his government was forced to push back the trip when several countries withdrew permission for him to fly over their territories reportedly over Chinese pressure.

In a post on X, Lai said he arrived in Eswatini — Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa — to “affirm our longstanding friendship.” He said that Taiwan “will never be deterred by external pressures.”

Lai was originally scheduled to visit the southern African country from April 22, but Taiwanese officials said that flight permits were revoked by Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar over “strong pressure from the Chinese authorities, including economic coercion.”

In a separate Facebook post on Saturday, Lai wrote that the visit was made possible following careful arrangements by his diplomatic and national security teams. He said the trip will further deepen the friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini through closer economic, agricultural, cultural and educational ties.

“Our resolve & commitment are underpinned by the understanding that Taiwan will continue to engage with the world — no matter the challenges faced,” Lai wrote on X. Taiwan did not announce latest plans of Lai’s Eswatini visit prior to his arrival.

A spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement shortly after Lai posted on social media about his visit that he was “performing a laughable stunt in front of the world,” and referred to him being “smuggled” out of Taiwan.

Lai’s “undignified act” and visit “will always be a losing cause and nothing will ever change the fact that Taiwan is part of China,” the ministry said. “We urge Eswatini and some other individual countries to see where the arc of history bends and stop serving as the prop of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists.”

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry hit back, saying Lai’s trip was conducted “in accordance with international law, international norms, diplomatic practices” and Taiwan’s regulations.

Lai’s arrival in Eswatini was only announced after he landed safely, the ministry said in a written statement, a precaution which it said had numerous international precedents.

Eswatini became the only African country excluded from tariff-free access to China’s market because of its ties to Taiwan.

On Friday, Taiwan’s government expressed concern after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call that Taiwan is the “biggest risk” when it comes to relations between Beijing and Washington. MDT/AP