US senator warns against China’s isolation tactics

A US senator has urged Washington to counter Chinese pressure on countries to restrict Taiwanese presidential flights, warning that such tactics could threaten international travelers.

At a US Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing on Wednesday, US Senator Tammy Duckworth questioned Marc Dillard, the nominee for US ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros, about Beijing’s efforts to isolate Taiwan.

She said that Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles in April revoked permission for President William Lai’s (賴清德) plane to fly through the airspace they managed, delaying his visit to Taiwan’s diplomatic ally Eswatini, and that the revocation was at China’s behest.

US Senator Tammy Duckworth speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 23.

Photo: Reuters

Madagascar and Mauritius subsequently interfered with his return journey, she said, adding that the restrictions contravened International Civil Aviation Organization rules.

Duckworth said Taiwanese officials had repeatedly raised the issue during her recent visit to the nation.

“These reckless actions could endanger everyone who travels internationally,” she said, warning that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) next target could be aircraft that carry civilians or critical supplies.

Dillard, currently serving as deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in South Africa, said Madagascar’s withdrawal of clearance had a limited impact on Lai’s flight, but reflected Beijing’s broader intimidation tactics.

“And in this case, I believe [it] clearly undermined Madagascar’s sovereign foreign policy decisions,” he said.

Dillard added that if confirmed, he would engage Madagascar’s government on the risks of deepening ties with China and the advantages of working with the US as a trusted partner.

Duckworth challenged Dillard’s characterization of the disruption as “limited,” adding that Lai needed to change his flight path.

She said that her concern extended beyond the immediate consequences for one trip to whether countries honored international aviation arrangements.

“We can’t let that happen, because if it happens here, it’s going to happen in other places with territorial waters, with international trade,” she said.

In a statement on Thursday, Duckworth’s office said the episode underscored the urgent need for US support for Taiwan against Chinese pressure.