Washington:A U.S. senator has called for action to counter China's influence on countries restricting Taiwanese presidential flights, highlighting potential threats to international travelers.According to Focus Taiwan, Senator Tammy Duckworth raised concerns during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing with Marc Dillard, the nominee for U.S. ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros. She questioned him about China's efforts to isolate Taiwan, citing an incident in April where Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles withdrew permission for President Lai Ching-te's plane to fly through their airspace, delaying his visit to Eswatini, allegedly due to Chinese pressure.Duckworth noted that the restrictions also affected Lai's return journey and argued that these actions breached International Civil Aviation Organization rules. Her recent visit to Taiwan revealed that Taiwanese officials had repeatedly addressed the issue with her.Dillard, serving as the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in South Africa, acknowledged that while Madagascar's withdrawal of clearance had limited impact on Lai's flight, it demonstrated Beijing's intimidation tactics and undermined Madagascar's sovereign foreign policy decisions. He promised to engage with Madagascar's government on the risks of closer ties with China if confirmed as ambassador.Senator Duckworth challenged Dillard's assessment of the impact as "limited," pointing out that Lai had to alter his flight path. She expressed deeper concerns about the adherence to international aviation agreements and warned that similar issues could arise in other regions, affecting territorial waters and international trade.Duckworth's office issued a statement emphasizing the urgent need for U.S. support for Taiwan in the face of Chinese pressure.