The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday urged the Chinese government to demonstrate goodwill toward Taiwan’s application to attend this year’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly, which it said would be filed under an “appropriate name.”
In a news release, the council said the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) has submitted a letter of intent via the Ministry of Transportation and Communications — after the council and ministry exchanged opinions on the matter — to attend the assembly, which is to be held from Sept. 27 through Oct. 7 in Montreal, Canada.
“With global aviation safety and the safety of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait in mind, the administration will apply for the nation’s attendance at this year’s ICAO assembly under an appropriate name and is willing to abide by the organization’s regulations,” the council said.
The government plans to seek support from all of the ICAO’s members and engage in negotiations with Beijing on the matter, the council said, adding that it hopes China would show goodwill toward Taiwanese.
The council said it would do its utmost to accommodate the needs of the CAA and provide assistance in its dealings with Beijing.
“Hopefully, with goodwill on both sides of the strait, we will be able to participate once again at this year’s ICAO assembly,” the council said.
After a proposal by Beijing, Taipei was invited to attend the 38th ICAO Assembly in 2013 as a “guest.”
However, the WHO’s unprecedented citation of the “one China” principle in a last-minute invitation to Taiwan for this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in May sparked speculations that Taiwan’s hopes of joining the ICAO meeting next month could be thwarted.
The council said it welcomes peaceful and stable development of cross-strait ties, reiterating President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) call for both sides to put aside the baggage of history and engage in amicable interactions for the sake of people’s welfare.
“On the basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground, while reserving differences, both sides should endeavor to work out a new direction [for cross-strait relations] and a new way of doing things,” the council said.
The CAA said in a statement that Taiwan’s participation in the annual assembly and its activities is “extremely necessary” and “absolutely legitimate,” given the fact that air traffic controllers in Taiwan guided 1.53 million aircraft accessing the Taipei Flight Information Region last year and watched over the lives of 58 million passengers.
“We are seeking the support of other ICAO members and believe that [Taiwan’s participation] can be resolved through cross-strait negotiations. It is our sincere hope that China can show its goodwill toward Taiwanese,” the CAA said, adding that it would apply to attend the assembly under the “proper status” and was willing to adhere to the ICAO’s rules.
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
LIKE-MINDED COUNTRIES: Despite the threats from outside, Taiwan and Lithuania thrived and developed their economies, former president Tsai Ing-wen said Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday thanked Lithuania for its support of Taiwan, saying that both countries are united as partners in defending democracy. Speaking at a reception organized by the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group welcoming her on her first visit to the Baltic state, Tsai said that while she was president from 2016 to last year, many Lithuanian “friends” visited Taiwan. “And I told myself I have to be here. I am very happy that I am here, a wonderful country and wonderful people,” Tsai said. Taiwan and Lithuania are in similar situations as both are neighbors to authoritarian countries, she
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
RSS