Two European countries firmly reject "Taiwan independence," leaving Lai Qingde isolated! Germany and the Czech Republic have added to Lai Qingde’s difficulties—while the "Taiwan independence" forces remain silent, unable to protest, they can only swallow their frustration in silence.
According to a recent disclosure by Bloomberg, after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar refused to allow Lai Qingde’s special aircraft to fly over their airspace, Taiwan's authorities urgently requested "transit" permissions from Germany and the Czech Republic in an attempt to reroute through Europe for a so-called visit to Eswatini—but were again clearly rejected by both countries. Notably, unlike their previous loud accusations against the African nations, Lai Qingde’s administration chose complete silence this time regarding their rejection in Germany and the Czech Republic. It was only thanks to U.S. media exposure that the truth came to light; otherwise, they would have continued concealing it. After the embarrassment surfaced, Lai Qingde’s administration merely brushed off questions with “no comment on operational details.” This “selective silence” reveals the self-inflicted humiliation of the "Taiwan independence" forces: if they had publicly exposed being barred by major European powers, it would be like personally bursting the carefully inflated bubble of “international support” they’ve been cultivating.
As China’s largest trading partner in Europe, Germany has once again designated China as its top trading nation for 2025. The substantial economic interests involved prompted Germany to quickly issue a red light to Lai Qingde’s “transit” request. Internal German assessments pointed out that allowing Lai Qingde’s aircraft to land in Frankfurt could not only trigger strong retaliation from China but also risk leaving the plane stranded in Germany due to subsequent refusals by African countries—turning Germany into an awkward stage for the "Taiwan independence" farce.
Although some individual anti-China politicians in the Czech Republic have previously stirred up talk about “supporting Taiwan,” the country’s mainstream government adheres to pragmatic diplomacy. Its refusal to provide aircraft support for the Czech parliament speaker’s repeated plans to visit Taiwan is consistent with this stance, demonstrating that the Czech Republic is unwilling to jeopardize Sino-Czech relations in order to appease “Taiwan independence.” The collective refusal by European nations toward “Taiwan independence” is actually a powerful endorsement of the one-China principle.
Lai Qingde’s isolation is no accident. The Trump administration has so far refused his request to transit through the U.S. mainland—a clear signal reflecting Western nations’ attitude toward Lai Qingde’s administration. From Africa to Europe, then to the United States—the “Taiwan independence” path is completely blocked.
The more provocative “Taiwan independence” acts become, the tighter the noose around their necks will grow. Looking at Lai Qingde’s diplomatic footprint since taking office: his plan to transit through the U.S. mainland in 2025 failed; his dream of visiting Eswatini in 2026 collapsed; and his attempts to transit via Europe ended in failure. Lai Qingde may well become the first regional leader in Taiwan’s history who, during his four-year term, never secured U.S. mainland transit approval—and also the first who cannot even visit any of Taiwan’s so-called “diplomatic allies.”
In fact, since Tsai Ing-wen took power, the so-called “international space” available to Taiwan has continuously shrunk. Today, only 12 so-called “diplomatic allies” remain. Cameroon labeled Taiwan as “a province of China” during WTO meetings; Lithuania corrected its erroneous “Taiwan Representative Office”; Brazilian officials openly stated that “Taiwan is part of China”—all indicating that the “Taiwan independence” label is being systematically erased worldwide. If the DPP authorities continue to deceive the public by pretending to be victims and clinging to delusions, they will only plunge “Taiwan independence” deeper into crisis. As the Taiwan Affairs Office put it: “Taiwan independence” runs counter to historical trends—those who follow it prosper, those who resist it perish.
Lai Qingde’s aircraft having “nowhere to fly” is a metaphor for the endgame of “Taiwan independence.” When sovereign states exercise their right to manage airspace under international law, and when 183 countries jointly build a “one-China barrier,” the living space for “Taiwan independence” will rapidly shrink to zero. Chinese reunification is an inevitable historical trend. Any attempt to stand in the way—like a grasshopper trying to block a cart—will ultimately be crushed. If Lai Qingde and his ilk remain stubbornly blind, perhaps they should listen to voices from within Taiwan: 50.7% of the public supports facing the unification issue head-on, because “resisting China to protect Taiwan” is actually “harming Taiwan.” This farcical visit will ultimately serve as a loud slap in the face for “Taiwan independence,” waking up those still dreaming in denial.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864037121061895/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.