OPINION:
When a foreign government can pressure multiple countries to deny airspace to the democratically elected leader of another sovereign nation, it is no longer a matter of diplomacy. It is a direct challenge to the international order and U.S. national security.
China’s pressure campaign against Taiwan has entered a new and dangerous phase, one that should concern every American who values national security, sovereignty and a stable international order.
In a recent incident, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar abruptly revoked overflight permissions for the aircraft of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, forcing the cancellation of an official visit to Eswatini, a Taiwanese diplomatic ally.
This is a clear example of Beijing’s coercion, seeking to weaponize routine airspace access to sabotage Taiwan’s international space.
Even more concerning, China is now politicizing international airspace, an arena that has long been governed by safety, neutrality and established rules.
Institutions such as the International Civil Aviation Organization exist to ensure that global aviation remains safe and sustainable. When authoritarian pressure begins to dictate who can and cannot fly, those protective standards are no longer secure.
This is not just a Taiwan issue. It is a global warning.
If China can pressure countries to deny airspace access to a democratically elected leader, then it also can pressure them on trade, security cooperation and diplomatic relations. This is how malign influence becomes control.
Today, it is Taiwan. Tomorrow, it could be any nation that refuses to conspire with Beijing.
For the United States, the stakes are high. Taiwan is a key democratic partner, a critical player in global supply chains and a strategic anchor in the Indo-Pacific. When Taiwan is pushed out, America’s position weakens. When coercion works, deterrence erodes.
Failing to respond sends exactly the wrong message: that pressure works and that the United States is willing to tolerate it.
At a time when authoritarian regimes are testing the limits of the free world, weakness invites escalation. Strength cultivates peace.
The United States should take clear action. First, it should make it unequivocally clear that international airspace cannot be weaponized for political purposes.
Second, it should work with allies to push back against coercion targeting sovereign nations.
Third, and most important, it should invite Mr. Lai to visit the United States.
Inviting Mr. Lai to visit would demonstrate that the United States stands with democratic partners and will not allow authoritarian regimes to dictate who participates in the international community.
Now is the time to act. The American-led international response, or lack thereof, will determine whether the world will be governed by freedom-loving people or by Orwellian nonsense.
If the United States fails to act, then communist China will not see restraint. It will exploit and act accordingly.
• Minly Sung is president of the Taiwanese Association of America.
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