Fact Check: The China Debt-Relief Claim Behind Taiwan’s Scrapped Africa Trip

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te delivers his address during National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei on October 10, 2024. WALID BERRAZEG / AFP

One of the interesting narratives to emerge from Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s cancelled trip to eSwatini is that China used economic coercion against African countries to help block the visit.

Reuters reported that a senior Taiwan security official said China pressured Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar to block President Lai’s aircraft, including by threatening to revoke debt relief.

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by CGSP Staff

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