A recent diplomatic development has underscored the broad global consensus on the one-China principle, after three African countries withdrew overflight clearances for Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te’s canceled trip to Eswatini, a Chinese mainland spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. Zhang Han, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, emphasized at a regular press briefing that the Chinese government greatly values the commitment of the involved nations to upholding the one-China principle. This incident, Zhang noted, offers clear, renewed proof that the one-China principle stands as a fundamental norm governing modern international relations, and a consensus embraced overwhelmingly across the global community. It aligns with the broader trend of the times, the greater good of the international order, and the shared will of most countries, she added. Lai had scheduled a five-day visit to Eswatini, which remains the only African nation that maintains unofficial so-called diplomatic ties with Taiwan, running from Wednesday to Sunday. However, Lai’s own office announced Tuesday that Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar had all revoked prior approvals for Lai’s aircraft to traverse their airspace. Without the required overflight permissions, the planned trip was called off entirely. In responding to unsubstantiated claims from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in Taiwan that the Chinese mainland had coerced the three African nations into reversing their permits, Zhang dismissed the accusations as baseless rumor-mongering designed to distract from the reality of widespread international recognition of the one-China principle. The DPP’s narrative, analysts note, fails to account for the consistent position of most United Nations member states, which have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China principle as the foundation for diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
One-China principle remains widely recognized as countries revoke overflight permits, says spokesperson
