China rejects US criticism of pressure on Taiwan flight permit

China's foreign ministry on Thursday said it firmly opposes Washington's criticism of Chinese pressure on some African countries to revoke overflight clearances for Taiwan's president.



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 diplomatic allies.



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



Speaking at a daily press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Washington should stop interfering in China's internal affairs using the Taiwan issue.



The U.S.' "unfounded criticism of the just measures taken by relevant countries to uphold the One China principle completely confuses right and wrong and turns black into white," Guo told reporters.



The U.S. State Department said the three countries acted at the behest of China, in another case of Beijing waging its "intimidation campaign" against Taiwan and its supporters.