Taiwan group in Philippines warns of China 'coercion' in airspace

MANILA, Philippines, April 28 ------ A Taiwan-based group in the Philippines has accused China of “weaponizing” international airspace after African countries denied overflight clearance to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, forcing him to cancel a planned trip to Eswatini (former Swaziland).

In a statement, the Taiwanese Association of the Philippines said the incident reflected “political coercion” and warned that such actions could undermine international norms governing global commons. “This is not diplomacy. It is coercion—plain and simple,” the group said on Monday, April 27.

Reuters reported that Lai canceled his April trip after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar denied overflight rights, with Taiwan attributing the move to pressure from Beijing. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the countries’ decisions, including references to the “one China” policy, indicated China’s role in blocking the trip.

China, however, denied coercion and said the countries were acting in line with their recognition of the one-China principle, praising their decision. The Taiwanese group echoed Taipei’s position, warning that allowing political pressure to dictate access to international airspace “erodes the very foundations of the rules-based international order.” It also linked the incident to broader regional tensions, including repeated confrontations with the Philippines and its Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea. “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?” the group said.

The group urged governments to reject what it described as diplomatic coercion and to uphold international law governing both airspace and maritime domains. “Peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region depend on collective resolve,” it said.

Source: philstar.com