A Taiwanese delegation has arrived in Montreal to hold exchanges on aviation safety.
The exchanges are taking place outside the venue where the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is holding its World Aviation Forum. The World Aviation Forum is held once every three years, and Taiwan has participated as an observer in the past.
However, Taiwan has not received an invitation to attend this year’s forum, and Taiwanese media have been barred from entering the venue. It is widely believed this is due to pressure from Beijing, which has been unhappy with the new Tsai Ing-wen administration.
In the end, the Taiwanese delegation originally slated to attend the forum decided to continue with its trip. Deputy head of Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration, Ho Shu-ping, is leading the delegation. In a telephone interview Wednesday, she that Taiwan is showing its importance to global aviation by holding discussions with other nations.
"On top of expressing our gratitude [to nations that have showed Taiwan their support], we have also held some exchanges with them on aviation safety, flight management, and other related topics. Our diplomatic allies know very well that Taiwan occupies a pivotal location in East Asian air space," Ho said. "There are no national boundaries when it comes to international transport. And [our allies] also agree that [our access to ICAO] shouldn’t be hindered by factors [unrelated to aviation safety], and they all support our participation in ICAO’s discussions and activities."
Ho said that Taiwan is an indispensable member in the global aviation community. She said that participating in the ICAO is an important way of ensuring regional aviation safety.