Taiwan is being forced off the world stage.
Since Xi Jinping took power in China, the number of countries recognizing Taipei has nearly halved — the product of a systematic campaign of economic inducements and coercion, which rewards loyalty and punishes dissent.
Now, Beijing appears to be adding a new tactic to its playbook: pressuring countries to deny transit permissions for Taiwanese officials. That would set a dangerous new precedent.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was forced to cancel a trip to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), the island’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after three countries along the flightpath — Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar — rescinded permission for Lai’s presidential aircraft to fly over their countries. Lai was scheduled to attend celebrations commemorating the 58th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Eswatini.
Taiwan’s presidential office reported that the recission was made “without warning,” citing the reason as “intense [economic] pressure exerted by Chinese authorities.” Security personnel assessed other routes but concluded that the trip should be postponed.
None of the three African countries explained the sudden reversal, but Taiwan’s account of the situation appears believable. Days earlier, addressing African leaders at a summit in Beijing, Xi pledged $60 billion in financial support to the continent, consistent with China’s decade-long charm offensive in the region. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed “high appreciation” toward the African countries after the postponement of Lai’s trip.
If true, this represents a move by China to deny Taiwan the most basic form of diplomacy: old-fashioned face-to-face meetings and handshakes.
For decades, Taipei has relied on high-level meetings, even informal ones, to bolster relations and sustain important dialogue with key partners. In 2024, Lai undertook a high-profile tour to the Pacific Islands, signaling Taipei’s willingness to deliver much-needed technical assistance, medical cooperation and development aid. The visit reinforced Taipei’s value as a partner and strengthened its relations with regional countries.
Years before that visit, China had been chipping away at Taiwan’s Pacific Island allies — flipping three of the six island states that once recognized Taiwan. The Solomon Islands and Kiribati were promised funding three times what Taiwan was providing. Nauru was swayed by the prospects of full diplomatic relations with China. Shortly after, all three countries switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing.
So Taiwan fights an uphill battle. It cannot compete against Beijing dollar-for-dollar. Instead, Taipei must rely on traditional diplomacy — building interpersonal relationships and facilitating strong people-to-people relations.
Taiwan’s advantage is its genuine commitment to the rule of law. Taiwanese leaders can champion mutual prosperity while promoting shared values with other democracies. And in some ways, this “values-based” diplomacy has already become a central pillar in the Lai administration’s diplomatic strategy. But unlike Beijing’s high-visibility infrastructure deals, affirming those values requires constant, sustained engagement.
Palau is one example of that steady relationship-building. The president of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr., came to Taipei for Lai’s inauguration; Lai flew to Palau months later. Over the years, both countries have worked in sync to advance mutual interests: Taiwan has provided developmental assistance while Palau has advocated for common causes at regional fora.
Direct engagement also enables Taiwanese leaders to nurture ties with Taiwanese nationals abroad. When then-Vice President Lai made a transit stop in San Francisco in 2023, the city’s overseas Taiwanese community poured into the streets waving flags and chanting “Go Taiwan!” These meetings are a powerful tool for strengthening shared cultural bonds and serve as proof that Taiwan’s identity and democratic values extend beyond the island.
Yet Beijing is quietly working to close off these avenues for engagements. This is already the second time in the past year that Lai has been forced to cancel a planned visit. Last June, the Trump administration reportedly did not approve the Taiwanese president’s proposed stopovers in New York and Dallas — apparently to avoid disrupting ongoing trade negotiations with Beijing.
But Taiwan has every right to visit countries of their choosing. That lies in full accordance with international principles. Countries — particularly democratic ones — should recognize that. If democratic nations continue to quietly shelve engagements with Taiwan to placate China, they risk normalizing a subtler, more insidious form of coercion.
This latest cancellation by three African countries reflects a troubling pattern of deference to Beijing. Taiwan has been denied a perfectly legitimate and legal means of engaging the world. And even as China notches another win, it will not stop there — it will continue until Taiwan’s remaining allies are picked off.
So, the democratic world faces a choice: is it willing to defend the principle that free societies can engage one another — without seeking the approval of autocracies?
Allen Zhang is a researcher in the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.