A US ambassador nominee said China's move to block Taiwan's presidential plane damaged Madagascar's own sovereignty — a sign Washington is pushing back harder on Beijing's pressure across Africa.

• Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te had to delay a trip to Eswatini after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar suddenly pulled permission for his plane to fly over their airspace.
• Marc Dillard, nominated as US ambassador to Madagascar, called the cancellations a provocation Beijing has used before in the region, and said they undercut Madagascar's control over its own foreign policy.
• Senator Tammy Duckworth warned that turning flight permits into a weapon puts ordinary air travelers at risk, and asked what stops China from doing the same to commercial flights into Taipei or Manila.
• She said the US has to press regional partners to follow international aviation rules and openly oppose Beijing's squeeze on Taiwan.

Outlook: If confirmed, Dillard plans to talk with Madagascar about the costs of leaning on China versus the benefits of working with Washington, so expect more US pressure on African governments over Taiwan-related flight bans.