A bipartisan group of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the United States wrote a letter to Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), on September 17, officially requesting Taiwan’s invitation to the upcoming triennial conference. They emphasized that this action is “related to U.S. national interests.”
In the letter led by Committee Chairman Brian Mast (Republican) and senior member Gregory Meeks (Democrat), it was pointed out that the ICAO cannot fulfill its responsibilities completely without incorporating Taiwan’s experience, opinions, and participation.
The committee announced in a press release on September 19 that the letter had been sent to ICAO President Sciacchitano. The Taipei Flight Information Region managed by Taiwan covers 18 international routes and 4 domestic routes, making it one of the 300 flight information regions worldwide. The letter also highlighted Taiwan’s role as an aviation hub, servicing passenger and cargo routes for 90 airlines with a total of 285 routes covering 117 cities globally.
Citing data from Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration, lawmakers mentioned that Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport ranks 13th globally in international passenger transport volume and 10th in international air cargo volume.
“Despite Taiwan’s high standards in civil aviation, it is still excluded from ICAO technical meetings and safety platforms, preventing it from accessing crucial aviation safety information and affecting the complete enforcement of international aviation standards,” the letter stated.
Lawmakers criticized China for continuously violating Taiwan’s airspace, including unilaterally declaring a “temporary danger zone” and activating flight routes near the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
“These actions contravene ICAO standards, set a dangerous precedent, and increase the risk of preventable aviation accidents,” the letter added. “As an organization responsible for coordinating conflicts and maintaining aviation safety, the ICAO cannot fulfill this mission without Taiwan’s experience, perspective, and participation.”
Lawmakers therefore requested the ICAO to immediately extend an invitation to Taiwan. The ICAO will convene its 42nd assembly in Montreal, Canada, from September 23 to October 3.
The letter was co-signed by lawmakers including Young Kim, Ami Bera, Chris Smith, Cory Mills, Brad Schneider, Ted Lieu, Jim Costa, Michael McCaul, Sarah McBride, Madeleine Dean, Andy Barr, and Greg Stanton.
This proposal also drew attention from Senator Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, who wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on September 12 to discuss the matter. Cruz emphasized in the letter that the U.S. “must lead in advocating for Taiwan’s formal representation and participation rights at the 42nd ICAO Assembly” and warned against China’s attempts to block Taiwan’s involvement.
“Cruz pointed out that China’s efforts to exclude Taiwan from the ICAO are not just a means of denying Taiwan’s sovereignty, but could be a deliberate strategy to weaken Taiwan’s defense against potential military invasion in the future,” the article further translated.
The situation has left Taiwan unable to respond to China’s daily violation of its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) within the ICAO, and China faces no accountability for its actions.
“Cruz emphasized that Taiwan’s rightful position within the ICAO is not only a matter of fairness but also a critical necessity to safeguard international commercial aviation safety and maintain peace in East Asia,” it was noted.
According to a report from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, on September 20, Chinese military aircraft trespassed over the median line of the Taiwan Strait for the third time.
Due to China’s continued obstruction of Taiwan’s participation in international affairs, Taiwan has been unable to join the ICAO and the World Health Organization (WHO).