Taiwan Won’t Give in to Pressure, President Says of Africa Trip China Tried to Stop

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivers a short speech at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport following his visit to Eswatini, in Taoyuan on May 5, 2026. (Photo by I-Hwa Cheng / AFP)

By Fabian Hamacher and Ann Wang

President Lai Ching-te arrived home on Tuesday from Eswatini, saying Taiwan would not give in to pressure, having taken a circuitous route over the southern part of the Indian Ocean to avoid airspace controlled by close friends of China.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Reuters

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Scholars See Russia’s Venezuela Strategy as a Model of Hybrid Power Projection in the U.S.’ Backyard
4 India Forced to Pay Russia in Yuan, Handing China an Unexpected Win
5 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
6 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C

You Might Like

Taiwan Leader Departs Eswatini After Delayed Trip

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te departed Eswatini on Monday, airport sources said, concluding a trip to Taipei’s only diplomatic ally in Africa which it said had been disrupted by Chinese pressure. Lai arrived in ...

China Praises Blocking of Taiwan President’s Africa Trip, Taipei Defiant

By Ryan Woo and Ben Blanchard China heaped praise on Wednesday on three African countries that refused to let Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s aircraft fly over their territories, forcing him to cancel a trip to 

Taiwan Foreign Minister Arrives in Eswatini After President’s Trip Blocked

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung arrived in Eswatini saying Taipei would not be held back by “authoritarian forces”, after the government accused China of pressuring three African states to block overflight permission for President Lai Ching-te. ...

Taiwan Will Not ‘Bow Its Head’: FM Hits out at China During Visit to Eswatini

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung on a visit to Eswatini slammed China’s recent move to pressure several African countries into revoking overflight permits for the island’s leader, saying it will not “bow its ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP
Detected IP: ...