Participants from China, Macau and Hong Kong have yet to register to attend the International Air Safety Summit, leading to speculation that they are boycotting the event because it is being held in Taiwan for the first time, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said yesterday.
The annual summit is one of the largest aviation safety meetings in the world.
It is to be held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel from Monday to Wednesday next week, with more than 300 officials and company representatives from 30 countries planning to attend, Wang said.
A Chinese national working at Boeing in China and another working at GE Aviation in China would be absent due to their visas being held up by the Chinese government, Wang said.
Two Hong Kong citizens who had registered are now unable to attend, Wang said, without giving further details.
The Taiwan-based China Aviation Development Foundation is to hold a news conference today to elaborate on registration problems and other issues, he said.
Wang fought hard to bring the summit to Taiwan for the first time this year, the foundation said.
The US-based Flight Safety Foundation is a non-governmental organization founded in 1947 that now has members from 150 nations.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration, the Aviation Safety Council, China Airlines, EVA Airways and Far Eastern Air Transport are members.
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