Nigeria, April 22 -- Taiwan's President, Lai Ching-te, was forced to cancel his trip to Eswatini after pressure from China's leader, Xi Jinping, led three African countries to revoke permission for his aircraft to fly over their territories.

Mr Ching-le was to visit Eswatini for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession. This trip required his presidential aircraft to pass through the airways of Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar.

The Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Meng-an, on Wednesday, said that these countries had earlier granted permission for the aircraft to fly over their territories but later retracted it without prior notice, according to Reuters.

Eswatini is among the 12 countries that maintain diplomati...