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.
The Taiwanese Association of the Philippines issued a statement on Monday, April 27, accusing China of weaponizing international airspace after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar denied overflight clearance to President Lai Ching-te. This forced the cancellation of his planned trip to Eswatini.
"This is not diplomacy. It is coercion—plain and simple," the group said. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted the decisions referenced the "one China" policy, attributing them to Beijing's pressure, as reported by Reuters.
China denied any coercion, stating the African nations acted in line with the one-China principle and praising their stance.
The group warned that politicizing airspace erodes the rules-based international order and could extend to restricting the Philippines' freedom of movement. "If airspace can be politicized and weaponized to isolate Taiwan today, what prevents similar pressure from being applied tomorrow to restrict the Philippines’ own freedom of movement?" it asked. It urged governments to uphold international law in both airspace and maritime domains.