US accuses China of 'intimidation marketing campaign' to dam Taiwan president’s Africa journey

[ad_1] America slammed China's "intimidation marketing campaign" on Wednesday after a number of African international locations have been reportedly pressured by Beijing to derail an official journey by Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te by revoking overflight permits.

Taiwan introduced Tuesday that Lai was suspending his journey to Eswatini – the island's solely diplomatic ally in Africa – after "Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly and with out prior discover revoked the constitution's overflight permits."

China claims Taiwan is a part of its territory and opposes the self-governed island's participation in worldwide organisations and exchanges with different international locations.

"We're involved by stories that a number of international locations revoked overflight clearances to stop the Taiwan president from visiting Eswatini," a US State Division spokesperson stated.

"These international locations are performing on the behest of China by interfering within the security and dignity of routine journey by Taiwan officers," the spokesperson added, with out naming the international locations.

"That is one more case of Beijing waging its intimidation marketing campaign towards Taiwan and Taipei's supporters all over the world."

Lai's secretary-general Pan Males-an earlier stated "the true cause is that the Chinese language authorities exerted intense strain together with financial coercion".

China's international ministry stated on Thursday that Washington's remarks have been "baseless accusations".

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"The US has irresponsibly criticised China's reputable actions to safeguard its nationwide sovereignty and territorial integrity," spokesman Guo Jiakun advised a information briefing.

"Such conduct constitutes an entire distortion of info and a confounding of proper and flawed," he added.

Washington doesn't formally recognise Taiwan, however is the island territory's primary safety backer – although the tone of that help has softened just below US President Donald Trump.

The US chief is because of meet China's President Xi Jinping subsequent month.

Beijing stated on Wednesday it had "excessive appreciation" for the African international locations that blocked the permits for Lai's journey deliberate for this week.

"Related international locations maintained help for the one-China precept, utterly in step with ... the essential norms of worldwide relations, China expresses excessive appreciation," a Chinese language international ministry spokesperson stated in a press release.

Lai's final official abroad journey was in November 2024, when he visited Taiwan's Pacific allies and transited by way of the US territory of Guam.

Trump's administration reportedly denied Lai permission to transit by way of New York final yr as a part of an official journey to Latin America. Taiwan's international ministry denied that he was blocked.