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Wu pushes US on China's flight route

"Some of Taiwan's diplomatic allies have expressed their deep concern to Beijing in this regard and Taiwan is deeply appreciative of their support."

Joseph Wu, representative to the US

Although China has yet to announce a planned flight route 4.2 nautical miles (7.8km) to the west of the tacit median line dividing the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan must stay on top of the issue, Taiwan's top representative to the US said in Washington on Friday.

Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US, said that China had not made the new route public by Jan. 17 as expected, but that Taiwan should remain on high alert and push its diplomatic allies to voice opposition over the issue.

"Some of Taiwan's diplomatic allies have expressed their deep concern to Beijing over the matter and Taiwan is deeply appreciative of their support," said Wu, speaking to reporters at a media gathering.

The envoy said that according to information acquired by the government, China had completed its registration of the domestic Shanghai-Hong Kong route with the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Thailand office.

China has, however, not made an official announcement to the international community, possibly because of strong international pressure, Wu said.

Wu said China might be waiting for a more "appropriate time" to make the announcement to avoid sparking international concern and to avoid controversy that could tip the results of Taiwan's March 22 presidential election.

The Taiwanese government and military have repeatedly expressed concern that China's new flight route would squeeze the airspace available to Taiwan's civilian and military airplanes and lead to an armed conflict in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan has criticized China for seeking to alter the "status quo" across the Taiwan Strait by converting the strait into its domestic waters in piecemeal fashion.

Taiwan reportedly lodged a protest to ICAO headquarters in Montreal and some countries in the Asia-Pacific region have supported the protest.

When asked about news that American Institute in Taiwan Director Stephen Young had told President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) he would be welcome to visit Washington after his term ends, Wu said he did not know how Washington would react.

However, only five people in the government are not allowed to visit Washington, he said, and as Chen would be a private citizen after stepping down, a visit should not be a problem.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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