Inside the Secret Mission to Fly Taiwan’s President to Africa
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te undertook a secret 15,000-mile journey to Africa with only carry-on bags to save fuel and avoid restricted airspace, circumventing Beijing's efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically.
- Lai was invited by Eswatini, the only African country maintaining official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, to celebrate King Mswati III's 40th anniversary on the throne.
- Initially, Lai had to cancel the trip after three countries withdrew airspace permits, likely due to pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.
- In a surprising move, Lai later arrived covertly in Eswatini, catching Beijing off guard and framing the trip as a symbolic victory against China's diplomatic isolation campaign.
- The Chinese government disparaged Lai's actions, comparing him to a rat crossing the street, underscoring the ongoing tensions between Taiwan and China.