Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has canceled a planned trip to Eswatini after three African countries revoked overflight permits for his aircraft. The cancellation occurred after the nations denied permission for the plane to fly through their airspace.
The United States accused China of pressuring the African nations to block the visit. While Beijing denied these claims, it expressed high appreciation for the states involved.
Taipei denounced the countries' servitude to Beijing. The move comes as Beijing seeks to further isolate the self-ruled democracy and tensions over Taiwan's international engagement continue to heighten.