Taiwan President Asserts Right to State Visits Amid Chinese Pressure
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te emphasized the right of countries to conduct state visits after returning from a trip to Eswatini, which Taiwan claims China attempted to block. The visit was initially canceled due to Chinese pressure on other countries to deny flight permits. Despite these challenges, Lai rescheduled and completed the visit, discussing economic and cultural cooperation with Eswatini. China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory, has been increasing pressure on countries to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan, using both economic incentives and political pressure. 
