Leaked Chinese diplomatic files point to cash payments in exchange for shutting Taiwan out of international bodies — bad news for Taiwan's already thin diplomatic space, and awkward for the countries taking the money.

• Documents surfaced on the dark web show Beijing offering Micronesia about 1 million yuan, dressed up as money for official cars, after it pushed the WHO to keep Taiwan off the agenda.
• Taiwan's National Security Council says the titles, wording and dates line up closely with its own intelligence, making the files look credible.
• The most striking detail: on the very day Taiwan's president had to cancel a trip to Eswatini because three African countries pulled his plane's overflight rights, the African Union wrote to Beijing asking for its next payment.
• The African Union had already taken 200 million yuan for building renovations and then asked for $50 million more for a new tower and leisure centre.
• A run of setbacks followed Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's Africa tour — Kenya blocking Taiwan from an ocean conference, Morocco halting visas, Uganda holding passports.

Outlook: Taipei is betting this kind of paid-for friendship does not hold, and expects more countries to face domestic criticism for breaking aviation and diplomatic norms on Beijing's behalf.