The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed an official announcement panning China’s unilateral decision to open new air routes, while calling on the Executive Yuan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take strong action over the matter.
The announcement followed Beijing’s announcement of four new flight routes near Taiwanese airspace. The north-south M503 route runs nearly parallel to the median line in the Taiwan Strait, coming as close to it as 7.8km. Three other routes — W121, W122 and W123 — run east-west and serve as feeder routes for the M503, with W122 and W123 potentially affecting flights to Taiwan’s outlying islands of Matsu and Kinmen.
The Legislative Yuan called on the Executive Yuan, the ministry and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) to protest to China over the move.
The legislature also called on the ministry to reach out to friendly members within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in the hope of getting the organization to put pressure on China.
China has yet to put forward a formal application to the ICAO, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) said on Thursday.
At a separate meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, officials said that Taipei had conveyed to Beijing its position on the issue and Beijing had indicated that it is willing to communicate with the government.
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