대만의 라이칭더 총통이 토요일 아프리카의 유일한 수교국인 에스와티니에 도착했다. 당초 세이셸, 모리셔스, 마다가스카르가 중국의 압력으로 영공 통과 허가를 취소하면서 일정이 연기되었으나, 경로를 수정해 도착한 것이다. 베이징은 이번 방문을 정치적 '쇼'라고 비난했다.
라이 총통은 토요일 저녁 페이스북 게시물을 통해 앞서 발생한 난관을 우회하는 대체 경로를 확보해 무사히 도착했음을 알렸다.
그는 “국민 여러분 안녕하십니까. 오늘 일찍 수교국인 에스와티니에 도착했습니다”라고 적었다.
이번 방문은 경제, 농업, 문화, 교육 분야의 협력을 강화하고 외교적 압박 속에서도 대만을 지지해 준 에스와티니 정부에 감사를 표하기 위한 것이다. 에스와티니 정부 또한 공식 페이스북 페이지를 통해 라이 총통의 도착 사실을 확인했다.
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Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met a bipartisan US Senate delegation in Beijing on Thursday, calling for more dialogue and cooperation between the two countries ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit.
Taiwanese President William Lai's trip to eSwatini has been postponed after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar abruptly cancelled previously approved overflight permissions. Taipei accuses Beijing of pressuring the three African nations, while Beijing denies economic coercion and thanks them for adhering to the one-China principle. Lai's office cited complex re-routing and safety concerns as reasons to delay the visit and send a special envoy instead.
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A Taiwanese group in the Philippines has accused China of weaponizing international airspace after African nations denied overflight clearance to President Lai Ching-te, canceling his trip to Eswatini. The Taiwanese Association of the Philippines called it political coercion that undermines global norms. It linked the incident to tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated at a regular press briefing that Jimmy Lai should be severely punished according to the law and accused external forces of interfering in Hong Kong's judicial process and China's internal affairs. The remarks responded to Washington's hopes for Lai's release on humanitarian grounds and speculation about easing Hong Kong-related sanctions. The ministry urged the US to safeguard stable China-US relations and peace in the Taiwan Strait.
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Kuomintang (KMT) leader Cheng Li-wen plans a six-day trip to Beijing, expected to include a meeting with President Xi Jinping—the first such encounter between the parties’ leaders in a decade. The visit is under scrutiny in Taiwan. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has raised suspicions of a quid pro quo.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will pay state visits to Singapore and the Philippines next week for summit talks aimed at expanding cooperation with these Southeast Asian nations. In Singapore, he will hold talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and in the Philippines, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Cheong Wa Dae anticipates strengthened ties in trade, infrastructure, and sectors like AI.
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According to Taiwan’s Tourism Administration, around 3.24 million Taiwanese visited mainland China in 2025, nearly 17 per cent more than in 2024, but still 20 per cent lower than in 2019. Taiwanese media attributes the slow post-pandemic recovery to cross-strait tensions and partial travel bans. Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te, who took office in 2024, has used strong rhetoric against Beijing, exacerbating the disruptions.