The US House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a bill on Wednesday to support Taiwan’s participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The organization is a special UN agency that supports cooperation in air transport. Because Taiwan is not a member of the UN, it has not been able to participate in the organization’s meetings since ties began worsening with China in 2016. Taiwanese officials argue the country must be able to participate in international civil aviation forums because its airspace is one of the busiest in the world.
Taiwan’s Presidential Office on Thursday expressed thanks to the US Congress for its strong support of Taiwan. The office says Taiwan will continue to deepen relations with the United States and ensure freedom, openness, peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The United States last September said that those countries who would administer critical aerospace, like Taiwan, should have meaningful participation in the civil aviation organization.