A group of US Congressmen are pushing for Taiwan to be awarded “observer status” in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Led by Nevada Democrat Shelley Berkley, the group has introduced a resolution to the House of Representatives urging US President Barack Obama to take a leading role in gathering international support for the plan.
“Meaningful participation by Taiwan as an observer in the meetings and activities of the ICAO will contribute both to the fulfillment of the ICAO’s overarching mission and to the success of a global strategy to address aviation security threats,” the resolution says.
To make sure the idea does not slip through the cracks of bureaucracy without any real action being taken, the resolution also calls on the US State Department to regularly brief Congress on its efforts to win observer status for Taiwan.
Nevertheless, the resolution is not getting wholehearted support from all Taiwan Caucus members.
Some feel that the Congress should fight for full ICAO membership for Taiwan and not make do with the much less effective observer status.
Diplomatic sources in Washington say that China may have already “quietly” agreed not to block observer status but that Beijing would be certain to oppose and defeat any attempt to gain full membership.
The resolution is jointly sponsored by Republican Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida, Democrat Gerry Connolly of Virginia and Republican Phil Gingrey of Georgia.
It says that the Taipei Flight Information Region provides air traffic control services to more than 1,350,000 flights annually along 12 international and four domestic air routes.
The resolution also says that over 174,000 international flights carrying more than 35 million passengers travel to and from Taiwan annually, “reflecting its importance as an air transport hub linking Northeast and Southeast Asia.”
A total of 30 airlines, 23 of them foreign-owned, provide scheduled flights to Taiwan and Taiwanese airports handle more than 1.5 million tonnes of air cargo a year.
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers