US slams China's pressure on African countries to block Taiwan president's trip

The United States is concerned that several African countries revoked overflight clearances for Taiwan's president at China's behest, the State Department said on Wednesday, calling the incident an abuse of the international civil aviation system.



Taiwan this week said the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for its presidential aircraft to cross airspace they manage on a planned trip to Eswatini, one of Taiwan's allies.



It is the first instance of a Taiwan president having to cancel an entire foreign trip due to denial of airspace access, representing a new Chinese strategy as it steps up efforts to stifle the island's efforts to engage internationally.



"These countries are acting at the behest of China by interfering in the safety and dignity of routine travel by Taiwan officials," a State Department spokesperson told Reuters, without naming the African island nations.