Taiwan should be included in an international forum on civil aviation. That was the word from US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday.
In Tuesday’s speech, Secretary Buttigieg said all of civil aviation’s most important stakeholders, including Taiwan, should be included in administering aerospace.
The 41st session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assembly opened in Canada on Tuesday and will run until October 7.
While Taiwan is a major aviation player with one of the world’s busiest airports, its representatives have been excluded from officially participating in the event for many years.
That’s because its inclusion has been blocked by China, who argues Taiwan attending the meeting would be against the UN charter.
Meanwhile, German transportation official Stefan Schnorr also supported Taiwan’s participation. He says the ICAO should work “together with all relevant partners, including aviation nations and territories that are not members of ICAO."
Tuesday’s ceremony was met by 100 overseas Taiwanese and Taiwan supporters holding banners outside ICAO headquarters to support Taiwan's inclusion in the organization.