US diplomat says Madagascar’s previous decision on Lai flight undermined sovereignty | Taiwan News | Oct. 3, 2026 10:15

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Deputy Chief of Mission in South Africa Marc Dillard said Madagascar’s decision to revoke overflight clearance for a plane carrying President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) undermined the country’s sovereignty in its foreign policy decision-making, CNA reported Saturday.

Lai visited Taiwan’s African diplomatic ally Eswatini in early May after his original trip, scheduled for April, was postponed. The delay came after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked overflight clearances for his aircraft, according to the Office of the President.

Taiwan said the decisions were made under pressure from China. Dillard, who has been nominated to serve as US ambassador to Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros, said the move resembled tactics Beijing had used in the region in the past and had undermined Madagascar’s ability to make independent foreign policy decisions.

Dillard made the remarks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Wednesday, when Senator Tammy Duckworth questioned him about China’s use of air travel as a tool of pressure. Duckworth said China had pressured several African countries to violate international law, established practices, and aviation safety standards to isolate Taiwan.

In a statement issued after the hearing, she likewise said China had pressured Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles to restrict Lai’s flight. Duckworth also warned that, without an explanation from Beijing, the incident raised concerns about whether similar restrictions could affect flights carrying ordinary passengers or critical supplies to Taipei, Manila, or other capitals.