TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China is testing how far it can limit Taiwan’s international space without resorting to war, National Cheng Kung University professor Li Jung-shian (李忠憲) said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) postponed his trip to Eswatini after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked overflight permission for his aircraft under pressure from China. Lai had been scheduled to visit from Wednesday to Sunday and will instead send a special envoy.

“The move shows Beijing is probing how much it can constrain Taiwan’s international engagement without triggering open conflict,” Li said. He said the case reflects a broader strategy of using economic and political leverage to shape outcomes, per Liberty Times.

Li said such actions go beyond traditional diplomatic obstruction and signal a subtler approach to limiting Taiwan’s space. He said restrictions are increasingly imposed through procedures that appear lawful and routine rather than through direct coercion, SETN reported.

He added that Taiwan is not facing a visible blockade or immediate military threat in this case. However, he said the result is similar, as available choices are quietly reduced within existing systems and rules, per Yahoo News.

Li questioned whether decisions remain genuinely free if all options are preconditioned. “Taiwan must learn to recognize these less visible constraints and consider how to respond effectively,” he said.