Amid its ongoing territorial dispute with Taiwan, China may be pivoting its efforts to the aerospace realm to disrupt the island's diplomatic outreach. Reports indicate China has been accused of pressuring African nations to prevent Taiwan's president from transiting their airspaces.

<img alt="Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech during the 2026 Hsieh Nien Fan annual dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)" height="349" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1b2f782e-18ec-4789-8117-a89cdc30f04b,1776976668682/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C312%2C6000%2C3375%29%3BResize%3D%28620%29" title="Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech during the 2026 Hsieh Nien Fan annual dinner of the ...