Taiwan's president says state visits are 'basic right' after trip he says Beijing tried to block

Key Points:

• Taiwan President Lai Ching-te emphasized that state visits are a basic right for countries after completing a three-day trip to Eswatini, one of Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic allies, despite Chinese attempts to block the visit.
• Taiwan's government reported that China pressured three countries to revoke flight permits, preventing Lai from transiting their airspace, though China neither confirmed nor denied these actions, only expressing gratitude for support of its one-China principle.
• During the visit, Lai discussed enhancing cooperation in economic, agricultural, cultural, and educational fields with Eswatini, highlighting Taiwan's determination to participate in the international community despite obstacles.
• China views Taiwan as part of its territory and exerts diplomatic and military pressure to isolate the island, including efforts to prevent Taiwanese activists from participating in international events, as seen with a canceled human rights conference in Zambia.
• Lai praised Eswatini's deputy prime minister for facilitating the trip and underscored that true national power lies in fostering prosperity rather than coercion.