July 25, 2018
No. 181
The Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns China’s crude attempts to coerce foreign airlines to downgrade Taiwan’s status. This censure comes in response to a letter from China’s Civil Aviation Administration dated April 25, and sent to 44 international airlines requiring not to list Taiwan as a nation on their websites or face various repercussions. Through this political interference in private business practices, China hoped to force the airlines to give in to its unreasonable demands.
MOFA has paid close attention to related developments. In recent months, it has instructed its overseas missions to verify information with related airlines and reiterate the government’s consistent position on this matter. MOFA has also urged the affected companies to handle the issue appropriately, and has explained Taiwan’s stance to government officials, legislators, scholars at think tanks, as well as opinion leaders in many nations in order to garner understanding and support in the international arena. MOFA wishes to thank particularly like-minded nations such as the United States and the international community for their support, and international airlines for having shown moral fortitude in standing their ground.
Taiwan is Taiwan. It does not fall under the jurisdiction of China’s government. Taiwan is a democratic nation whose achievements in freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law have won international recognition and are the envy of the people of China, who have no political freedom. Taiwan’s existence as part of the international community is an objective fact; it will not disappear due to the suppression of the Chinese authorities. Taiwan’s people will not cease in their support and pursuit of democratic values and lifestyles simply because of China’s coercion. Taiwan’s government calls on all like-minded nations to work closely with it to curb China’s bullying in the international arena and prevent China’s interference in the business practices of other countries from becoming an accepted norm. (E)