‘Crucial’ Taiwan should participate in ICAO: Ed Royce

2016/09/22

U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce reiterated his support Sept. 20 for Taiwan’s participation in the upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization’s 39th Assembly set to meet Sept. 27 to Oct. 7 at the U.N. specialized agency’s headquarters in Montreal, Canada.

“Last year alone, Taiwan took care of nearly 60 million incoming and outgoing passengers, serving as a crucial member of the international aviation network. Yet, Taiwan does not have a seat at the International Civil Aviation Organization, which is responsible for setting international aviation safety standards,” Royce said.

In September 2013, the director-general of Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration attended ICAO’s triennial assembly under the designation “Chinese Taipei” for the first time and was privy to important information, the California Republican added, thanks in part to legislation he authored that year calling for the U.S. secretary of state to endorse Taiwan’s entry into ICAO.

“As East Asia’s busiest airspace, it is without question that Taiwan should have access to the latest technologies and standards in civil aviation safety. It’s in the best interest of public safety,” he said.

Taiwan is calling for meaningful participation in the 191-member organization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Aug. 4 it had filed an application with ICAO to take part in its 39th assembly.

Taiwan is responsible for managing the Taipei Flight Information Region, which covers 180,000 square nautical miles and borders four other FIRs: Fukuoka, Manila, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. In 2015, the Taipei FIR provided services to nearly 1.53 million flights carrying 58 million travelers entering, leaving, or transiting through Taiwan.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=248078&ctNode=2194&mp=9)