March 19, 2024
No. 099
Vice-President of the European Parliament (EP) and Vice Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism Jan-Christoph Oetjen and 27 cross-party MEPs wrote a joint letter on March 13 to President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council Salvatore Sciacchitano voicing concern over China’s unilateral alteration of the M503 flight route and activation of the W122 and W123 eastbound flight routes. The letter was also addressed to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, and European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes and appreciates this expression of support.
The joint letter pointed out that China deliberately waited until the completion of Taiwan’s democratic elections to unilaterally announce its intention to rescind the offset of flights on the M503 route and activate the W122 and W123 eastbound routes, without providing any concrete evidence of transportation needs to justify the change, noting that this indicated that China’s action was politically motivated. The letter further stated that the flight route changes not only jeopardized stability and security in Taiwan and the region but also complicated air traffic control in the Kinmen and Matsu areas and increased the risk of an accident. The MEPs also expressed concern that aviation infrastructure was being used as a tool for geopolitical coercion, saying that China’s failure to hold prior consultations with Taiwan in accordance with ICAO regulations and denial of Taiwan’s right to participate in ICAO undermined global aviation safety. They urged ICAO to closely monitor related developments and demanded that all parties abide by existing regulations, stating that upholding transparency and cooperation and respecting international civil air traffic control regulations were of paramount importance.
Cosponsored by MEPs from four major party caucuses representing the European People’s Party, Renew Europe, the European Conservatives and Reformists Party, and the Greens/European Free Alliance, the letter underscores the EP’s ongoing concern regarding China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo and the institution’s strong consensus on supporting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. As a responsible member of the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with the EP and other like-minded partners so as to jointly safeguard global and regional security and prosperity. (E)