Taiwan’s Lai to Speak After Defying China to Visit Africa

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will soon arrive home following a surprise trip to Africa in defiance of Beijing’s efforts to thwart his diplomatic outreach.

Lai will give a speech at the Taoyuan airport at 10:40 a.m. on Tuesday, his presidential office said. A plane believed to be carrying the Taiwanese leader was the most monitored aircraft on flight tracking website FlightRadar24, after his earlier plan to travel to Taiwan’s sole African ally was derailed by three China-friendly nations closing their airspace to his plane.