00:00Bloomberg is reporting that both Germany and the Czech Republic rejected Taipei's request for help,
00:06with President Lai Chingda's now canceled trip to Africa.
00:10Lai was scheduled to visit Eswatini, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally on the continent, earlier this month.
00:16But three countries along his direct flight path, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar,
00:22refused overflight privileges for his charter jet at the last minute.
00:27Taipei says they did so at the request of China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.
00:33As a last resort, Taiwan's diplomats tried to get Lai to Eswatini on an alternative route through the two European
00:41countries.
00:42But that request was denied due to several factors.
00:46One, Beijing pressured Germany and the Czech Republic not to allow the transit after learning of the plan.
00:51Two, there was no guarantee that the transit would allow Lai to make it to Eswatini.
00:56And three, Taipei needed an answer within two hours of receiving the request.
01:17With no other options, foreign minister Lin Jialong traveled to Eswatini in Lai's stead.
01:23Taiwan's presidential office did not comment directly on the unsuccessful backup plan to get Lai to Africa,
01:29but it again blamed China for the canceled trip.
01:41Taiwan Plus reached out to the German and Czech representative offices in Taiwan for comment.
01:47Neither has responded at the time of airing.
01:50Lai's canceled trip proves that Taiwan's diplomacy often faces challenges that other countries don't have to worry about,
01:57and that Taiwan's diplomats often have to go the extra mile to make sure the country can maintain its overseas
02:03relations.
02:04Patrick Chen and Leslie Liao in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.
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