33 Overseas Taiwanese Organizations Condemn China’s Weaponization of Airspace Access Against President Lai’s Eswatini Visit

On April 21, 2026, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was forced to postpone his five-day visit to Eswatini, Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in Africa, after China pressured third countries along the flight route to revoke overflight clearance for his chartered aircraft.
 
The postponement was announced less than 24 hours before President Lai’s planned departure, after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar abruptly revoked overflight clearance for the presidential charter plane. The move followed intense Chinese political pressure and economic coercion, representing a flagrant example of Beijing’s diplomatic warfare and its unprecedented attempt to weaponize airspace access to isolate and bully Taiwan.
 
U.S. Congressional Reaction
 
Several U.S. lawmakers and key Congressional committees have issued statements strongly condemning China’s actions:

• The House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority, under the leadership of Chairman Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), described the incident as yet another attempt by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to “bully Taiwan,a close partner of the United States” and stated that the U.S. “stand[s] with Taiwan against this blatant coercion.”

• Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, condemned China’s actions as a “disturbing breach of civil aviation norms” and urged the U.S. government to prevent China from normalizing such tactics, while calling for a “clear-eyed” reassessment of relations with countries that quickly bend to Beijing’s pressure.

• The House Select Committee on the CCP, led by Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Ro Khanna (D-CA), reaffirmed U.S. support for Taiwan amid this controversy, stating that this is “not diplomacy” but “economic pressure” aimed at isolating a democratic partner, and that Taiwan has the “right to engage freely with the international community.”

 
Overseas Taiwanese Solidarity: A Call to Action

On April 23, 2026, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) led an international coalition of 33 overseas Taiwanese organizations in issuing a joint statement strongly condemning Beijing for weaponizing airspace access to bully Taiwan and block President Lai Ching-te’s planned visit. The coalition affirmed that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, and that its 23 million people have the absolute right to engage freely with the world on their own terms.

The coalition also called on the U.S. government and the international community to stand in solidarity with Taiwan by condemning the PRC’s coercion and urging Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar to immediately restore overflight clearance for President Lai’s plane.

(For the complete list of signatories, please see the joint statement HERE.)

Sources:
[1] Focus Taiwan   [2] Taiwan’s Presidential Office   [3] House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority’s Official X Account   [4] Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman’s Official X Account   [5] House Select Committee on the CCP’s Official X Account   [6] Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)