January 28, 2020
No.029
The International Civil Aviation Organization has recently blocked the Twitter accounts of a number of well-wishers expressing support for Taiwan, even claiming that such people were deliberately spreading false information. This improper reaction has since been denounced by the United States House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, US Senator Marco Rubio, US Representative Mike Gallagher, and other international friends and members of the media. MOFA sincerely thanks Taiwan’s friends from around the world for serving as voices of justice, and for supporting Taiwan’s participation in ICAO and other international organizations.
The US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs denounced ICAO for silencing voices that oppose its exclusion of Taiwan, saying this goes against ICAO’s stated principles of fairness, inclusion, and transparency. Senator Rubio tweeted that it was outrageous that ICAO was reportedly blocking accounts, saying this was “another sign that the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to pressure and bully international organizations to bend to its demands are working.” Representative Gallagher criticized ICAO for going along with the Chinese government, calling China a “cyberbully.”
MOFA reiterates that in accommodating China’s offensive and unreasonable attitude, and inappropriately suppressing voices supportive of Taiwan, ICAO has abandoned its professionalism and neutrality, and ignored people’s right to freedom of opinion and expression as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. MOFA expresses its disappointment and dissatisfaction in the strongest possible terms, and has instructed Taiwan’s representative in Canada to communicate the Taiwanese government’s solemn protest to ICAO via a number of official channels. Taiwan will also work with its diplomatic allies and like-minded nations to jointly explore how ICAO can be urged to remedy these instances of inappropriate suppression.
MOFA believes that in serving as the world’s specialized civil aviation organization, ICAO should seek to ensure that global flight security systems are free of any shortfalls or gaps and achieve its goal of a seamless sky on the basis of a wide range of professional opinion. MOFA also reminds the international community to pay heed to China’s incessant and irrational intimidation of international organizations through calls to exclude Taiwan. China’s pressure campaign has done nothing to develop cross-strait relations, and is detrimental to the security and health of all people.
That the entire world is currently being affected by the 2019-nCoV coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China, demonstrates that diseases know no borders, and the urgent need to pursue aviation security through cross-border cooperation. In the face of emerging transnational threats, the international community will only be able to respond effectively to the spread of epidemics and ensure the safety of international flights by casting aside political prejudices and interests, and working together.
Taiwan is determined, willing, and able to make an international contribution. The World Health Organization, ICAO, and other specialized UN agencies should resist China’s unacceptable political pressure, and, to safeguard the wellbeing and interests of all humankind, seek appropriate ways of ensuring Taiwan’s full participation in their affairs. (E)