U.S. lawmakers call for Taiwan's inclusion in ICAO, U.N.

Washington, Sept. 19 (CNA) U.S. lawmakers from both houses of Congress on Friday separately called for Taiwan's participation in the upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly and the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In a letter to ICAO President Salvatore Sciacchitano, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, along 19 other members, urged that Taiwan be formally invited to participate in the triennial meeting that starts on Tuesday.

As ICAO's mandate is to enhance global civil aviation safety and security, "the inclusion of committed and cooperative stakeholders such as Taiwan must serve as a fundamental principle," the congressmen said.

According to the letter, Taiwan administers the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR), one of about 300 worldwide, which manages 18 international and four domestic routes. In 2024, the FIR supported services from 90 airlines operating 285 passenger and cargo routes linking Taiwan with 117 cities.

"While Taiwan endeavors to maintain the highest standard of civil aviation, Taiwan remains excluded from ICAO's technical meetings and secure platforms, leaving it without access to critical aviation safety information and undermining international aviation standards," the congressmen said.

The letter also noted that China has increasingly challenged Taiwan's airspace by unilaterally designating danger zones, reserving areas for military drills, and activating new flight routes near the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

These actions are inconsistent with ICAO standards, create dangerous precedents, and heighten the risk of avoidable aviation incidents, the lawmakers said, highlighting that as the organization entrusted with deconfliction and aviation safety, ICAO cannot fulfill its mandate while excluding Taiwan's experience, perspective, and participation.

"Taiwan's inclusion in the 42nd ICAO Assembly is a matter of U.S. national interest and international aviation security. We recommend that an invitation be promptly extended to Taiwan, and we look forward to receiving confirmation without delay," they said.

This year's ICAO Assembly will be held from Sept. 23 to Oct. 3 in Montreal, Canada.

Meanwhile, Senators Jim Risch and Jeanne Shaheen, chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released a joint statement on Friday to voice support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations, ahead of the start of 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

"As countries gather in New York, it is critical that the United States and others around the world counter the People's Republic of China's misrepresentation of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758," the senators said.

Resolution 2758 led to the People's Republic of China (PRC) entering the U.N. and Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China (ROC), leaving the multilateral body. Since then, Taiwan has been excluded from the U.N. and its affiliated agencies.

Risch and Shaheen argued that the 1971 resolution concerns only the representation of the "China" seat at the U.N. and does not address Taiwan's political status or its ability to engage with U.N. entities.

"China has sought to falsely conflate UNGA Resolution 2758 with its 'One China Principle' and rewrite official U.N. documents to support its illegitimate claims to Taiwan," they said.

"The United States will continue to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations and reject China's efforts to rewrite history and diplomatically isolate Taiwan," the senators concluded.