[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 27, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6083-H6086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1240
 SUPPORTING OBSERVER STATUS FOR TAIWAN IN INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION 
                              ORGANIZATION

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 266) expressing the sense of 
Congress that Taiwan should be accorded observer status in the 
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 266

       Whereas the Convention on International Civil Aviation, 
     signed in Chicago, Illinois, on December 7, 1944, and entered 
     into force April 4, 1947, approved the establishment of the 
     International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), stating 
     ``The aims and objectives of the Organization are to develop 
     the principles and techniques of international air navigation 
     and to foster the planning and development of international 
     air transport so as to . . . meet the needs of the peoples of 
     the world for safe, regular, efficient and economical air 
     transport'';
       Whereas following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 
     2001, the ICAO convened a High-level Ministerial Conference 
     on Aviation Security that endorsed a global strategy for 
     strengthening aviation security worldwide and issued a public 
     declaration that ``a uniform approach in a global system is 
     essential to ensure aviation security throughout the world 
     and that deficiencies in any part of the system constitute a 
     threat to the entire global system'', and that there should 
     be a commitment to ``foster international cooperation in the 
     field of aviation security and harmonize the implementation 
     of security measures'';
       Whereas, on January 22, 2010, the Secretary General of the 
     ICAO stated, ``The attempted sabotage of Northwest Airlines 
     Flight 253 on 25 December [2009] is a vivid reminder that 
     security threats transcend national boundaries and can only 
     be properly addressed through a global strategy based on 
     effective international cooperation.'';
       Whereas the Taipei Flight Information Region, under the 
     jurisdiction of the Republic of China (Taiwan), covers an 
     airspace of 176,000 square nautical miles and provides air 
     traffic control services to over 1,350,000 flights annually 
     along 12 international and 4 domestic air routes;
       Whereas over 174,000 international flights carrying more 
     than 35,000,000 passengers travel to and from Taiwan 
     annually, reflecting its importance as an air transport hub 
     linking Northeast and Southeast Asia;
       Whereas a total of 30 airlines, 23 of which are foreign-
     owned, provide scheduled flights to Taiwan;
       Whereas airports in Taiwan handle more than 1,580,000 
     metric tons of air cargo annually;
       Whereas Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was ranked in 
     2009 by the Airports Council International as the world's 8th 
     and 18th largest airport by international cargo volume and 
     number of International passengers respectively;
       Whereas exclusion from the ICAO since 1971 has impeded the 
     efforts of the Government of Taiwan to maintain civil 
     aviation practices that comport with evolving international 
     standards, due to its inability to contact the ICAO for up-
     to-date information on aviation standards and norms, secure 
     amendments to the Organization's regulations in a timely 
     manner, obtain sufficient and timely information needed to 
     prepare for the implementation of new systems and procedures 
     set forth by the ICAO, receive technical assistance in 
     implementing new regulations, and participate in technical 
     and academic seminars hosted by the ICAO;
       Whereas, despite these impediments and irrespective of its 
     inability to participate in the ICAO, the Government of 
     Taiwan has made every effort to comply with the operating 
     procedures and guidelines set forth by the organization;
       Whereas, despite this effort, the exclusion of Taiwan from 
     the ICAO has prevented the organization from developing a 
     truly global strategy to address security threats based on 
     effective international cooperation, thereby hindering the 
     fulfillment of its overarching mission to ``meet the needs of 
     the peoples of the world for safe, regular, efficient and 
     economical air transport'';
       Whereas the United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy 
     Review, clearly declared its support for the participation of 
     Taiwan in appropriate international organizations, in 
     particular, on September 27, 1994, with the announcement by 
     the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific 
     Affairs that, pursuant to the Review and recognizing Taiwan's 
     important role in transnational issues, the United States 
     ``will support its membership in organizations where 
     statehood is not a prerequisite, and [the United States] will 
     support opportunities for Taiwan's voice to be heard in 
     organizations where its membership is not possible'';
       Whereas section 4(d) of the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 
     3303(d)) declares, ``Nothing in this Act may be construed as 
     a basis for supporting the exclusion or expulsion of Taiwan 
     from continued membership in any international financial 
     institution or any other international organization.''; and
       Whereas ICAO rules and existing practices have allowed for 
     the meaningful participation of noncontracting countries as 
     well as other bodies in its meetings and activities through 
     granting of observer status: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) meaningful participation by the Government of Taiwan as 
     an observer in the meetings and activities of the 
     International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will 
     contribute both to the fulfillment of the ICAO's overarching 
     mission and to the success of a global strategy to address 
     aviation security threats based on effective international 
     cooperation;
       (2) the United States Government should take a leading role 
     in gaining international support for the granting of observer 
     status to Taiwan in the ICAO for the purpose of such 
     participation; and
       (3) the United States Department of State should provide 
     briefings to or consult with Congress on any efforts 
     conducted by the United States Government in support of 
     Taiwan's progress toward observer status in the ICAO.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Nevada (Ms. Berkley) and gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Nevada.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Nevada?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BERKLEY. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, 
I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 266, expressing the sense of 
Congress that Taiwan should be accorded observer status in the 
International Civil Aviation Organization, the ICAO.
  As cochairman of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I have seen 
firsthand the amazing progress that Taiwan has made in its economic and 
political development. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Taiwan's economy 
grew by more than an amazing 10 percent per year and is now the United 
States' ninth-largest overall trading partner, with two-way trade in 
2008 valued at $61.6 billion. Taiwan also is the sixth-largest 
destination for U.S. agricultural exports, about $2.5 billion annually.
  Meanwhile, Taiwan has developed one of the strongest democracies in 
the region, having had several peaceful, democratic transfers of power. 
I have met their current President, President Ma Ying-jeou, who is a 
well-spoken, Western-educated leader who has worked very hard to reduce 
tensions between Taiwan and China and concluded an Economic Cooperation 
Framework Agreement with the PRC Government recently.
  All the while, however, Taiwan has been shut out of participating in 
international organizations like the International Civil Aviation 
Organization. Founded in 1947, ICAO's goal is to ``meet the needs of 
the peoples of the world for safe, regular, efficient, and economical 
air transport.'' These goals can only be reached through a cooperative 
approach that brings together the world's leading economies to share 
best practices and information. We need look no further than this past 
Christmas for a reminder of how our aviation security transcends 
national boundaries and can only be addressed through a cooperative, 
international strategy.
  Mr. Speaker, Taiwan deserves to be brought into the ICAO as on 
observer.

[[Page H6084]]

Over 174,000 international flights travel to and from Taiwan each year, 
carrying more than 35 million passengers. Their air traffic controllers 
now provide service to over 1.3 million flights each year. By cargo 
volume, Taiwan has the eighth-largest airport in the world.
  Yet Taiwan has been excluded from ICAO since 1971, which has impeded 
Taiwan's efforts to maintain civil aviation practices that keep up with 
rapidly evolving international standards. It is unable to even contact 
ICAO for up-to-date information on aviation standards and norms, nor 
can it receive ICAO's technical assistance in implementing new 
regulations or participate in ICAO technical and academic seminars.
  Despite these impediments, Taiwan has made every effort to comply 
with ICAO's standards, but their continued exclusion from such an 
important organization is nothing short of absurd. It not only hurts 
Taiwan, it puts us and the entire world at risk. With such a heavy 
volume of flights, Taiwan's exclusion has prevented ICAO from 
developing a truly global strategy to address security threats based on 
effective international cooperation. And regardless of one's position 
on the One-China Policy, ICAO's own rules allow for ``noncontracting 
countries'' to participate through observer status.
  With this resolution today, we call upon the world community to grant 
Taiwan observer status at the ICAO, not only to help Taiwan but to 
ensure ICAO can fulfill its own stated mission and address threats to 
aviation security. We call on the U.S. government to take a leading 
role at ICAO to assist Taiwan in gaining this status and look forward 
to working with our administration officials to track the development 
of these efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, enough is truly enough. It is time for the international 
community to recognize Taiwan as one of the world's leading economies, 
democracies, and responsible actors. It is a beacon of hope and liberty 
in a very difficult region, and we should be embracing, not excluding, 
these peace-loving people at every opportunity.
  I hope ICAO will be only the beginning of Taiwan's reentry into the 
world community, to ICAO, to the World Health Organization, and other 
international organizations as appropriate.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise as a proud cosponsor of this important resolution, which calls 
upon the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, to accord 
observer status to Taiwan.
  Can there be any doubt that Taiwan, which provides air traffic 
control services for well over 1.3 million flights per year, needs to 
be a part of the international organization responsible for air safety 
and security? Is this especially not true in a post-September 11 world 
where security in the skies is of paramount importance to not only the 
American people but to all across the globe?
  The provincial and shortsighted manipulations of Beijing's leaders 
who seek to deny Taiwan's international space cannot stand in the way 
of airport safety and security. It is time to bring to an end Beijing's 
petty parlor games of one-upmanship and humiliating slights in the 
running of international organizations.
  If the alleged thaw in cross-Strait relations is to have any true 
significance, it must and should begin in the meeting rooms of ICAO and 
other international organizations. Those passengers, including our 
American citizens, who travel on any one of the almost 200,000 
international flights headed to and from Taiwan every year expect and 
deserve every protection they can be afforded.
  The time to let Taiwan begin to have constructive and meaningful 
participation in ICAO is long overdue. The United States State 
Department, as this resolution suggests, must assume a leading role to 
ensure that this happens as quickly as possible. The security in the 
skies of the people of Taiwan, of the people of the United States, and 
the citizens of the world demand no less.
  So I strongly, Mr. Speaker, and enthusiastically urge my colleagues 
to support this important resolution.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BERKLEY. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from the great State of Oregon, Congressman Wu.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in very strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 266, to support Taiwan in its bid to participate 
meaningfully in the International Civil Aviation Organization, known as 
ICAO.
  I would like to thank my good friend and colleague, Congresswoman 
Shelley Berkley, and the other cochairs of the Taiwan Caucus for 
introducing this important resolution.
  I have long believed that the greatest existential threat to Taiwan 
and, indeed, to any Nation is isolation, physical and psychological. I 
applauded Taiwan's participation in the 62nd World Health Assembly last 
year, which marked the first time since withdrawing from the United 
Nations 39 years ago that Taiwan rejoined a United Nations-related body 
as an observer. Taiwan's participation in the WHA was long overdue. Its 
renewed participation was an occasion to celebrate and to mark the 
beginning of what I hope is Taiwan's legitimate, growing involvement in 
other international organizations which do not require statehood.

                              {time}  1250

  Just as the United States supports Taiwan's meaningful participation 
in the World Health Organization, so too should we take the lead in 
supporting observer status for Taiwan in the International Civil 
Aviation Organization.
  ICAO was formally established in 1947 as a means to secure 
international cooperation and the highest possible degree of uniformity 
and regulations, standards, procedures, and organization regarding 
civil aviation matters. The 1944 convention on ICAO stated, ``The aims 
and objectives of the organization are to develop the principles and 
techniques of international air navigation and to foster the planning 
and development of international air transport so as to meet the needs 
of the peoples of the world for safe, regular, efficient, and 
economical air transport.''
  Taiwan, one of United States' closest allies in the Asia-Pacific 
region, is also a key transport hub that links Northeast and Southeast 
Asia with approximately 2,600 weekly flights to and from neighboring 
nations. In 2008, 174,000 international flights carrying more than 35 
million passengers arrived in and departed from Taiwan. Moreover, in 
2009, Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport was ranked by the Airports 
Council International as the world's eighth largest airport by 
international air cargo volume and 18th largest airport by 
international passengers.
  Failure to include Taiwan as an observer in ICAO needlessly and 
recklessly endangers millions of passengers traveling through Taiwan, 
traveling through connecting airports and throughout the world because 
the threat of international terrorism finds any opportunity to enter 
our worldwide air transport system to threaten every passenger.
  Given Taiwan's prominent role in regional and international air 
control and transport services, I support, and I believe the United 
States Government should support, Taiwan's meaningful participation in 
ICAO's meetings, mechanisms, and activities in order to ensure that 
Taiwan civil aviation regulations fully comply with ICAO standards and 
recommended practices. ICAO should find appropriate ways to incorporate 
Taiwan into its global civil aviation network.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Con. Res. 266 to bolster 
the integration of our friend Taiwan into the international air 
transport system.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am so pleased to yield 
2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia, Dr. Gingrey, an esteemed 
member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as one of the cochairs of the 
bipartisan Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I rise in strong support of 
House Concurrent Resolution 266, and I particularly want to commend one 
of my fellow cochairs, Ms. Shelley Berkley of Nevada, for her 
leadership on this issue. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, I would like

[[Page H6085]]

to applaud the leadership of other cochairs, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of 
Florida and Mr. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, for their work in bringing 
this resolution to the floor, and I thank the gentlewoman from Florida 
for yielding me time.
  Since its inception in 1947, the International Civil Aviation 
Organization, ICAO, has been a great resource for the international 
community to develop and to foster the most efficient and the safest 
means of airline travel across the world. In the aftermath of the 
horrific terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it was the ICAO that 
convened a conference to endorse a uniform, international strategy to 
ensure aviation safety throughout the entire world.
  Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, our friends in Taiwan have been excluded 
from participation in the ICAO since 1971. Not only has that diminished 
Taiwan's ability to stay at the cutting edge of aviation, it has also 
presented obstacles to the international community as a whole, because 
ICAO cannot completely fulfill its mission to meet the needs of all 
people in efficient and safe air travel.
  Taiwan has a very large footprint within commercial aviation that 
warrants its inclusion within ICAO. The Taipei Flight Information 
Region, as has been mentioned by my colleagues, covers an airspace of 
176,000 square nautical miles. It provides air traffic control services 
to over 1.3 million flights annually. Additionally, there are over 
174,000 international flights carrying more than 35 million passengers 
that fly in and out of Taiwan each and every year.
  With this high volume of air traffic, Taiwan certainly deserves to 
have a seat at the table of ICAO at least, Mr. Speaker, as an observer.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman.
  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. This is precisely what this concurrent 
resolution seeks to accomplish. Providing Taiwan with meaningful 
participation at ICAO benefits both the Taiwanese and the international 
community as a whole.
  Due to our longstanding relationship and our respect for our friends 
in Taiwan, I want to urge all of my colleagues to support House 
Concurrent Resolution 266.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana 
(Mr. Burton), the ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on 
the Middle East and South Asia.
  (Mr. BURTON of Indiana asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. You know, I don't want to be redundant; I just 
want to point out a couple of things that have been said because I 
think everybody who is interested in air safety needs to understand 
what the ramifications of this legislation are, and I hope my 
colleagues will pay attention, those who aren't here on floor.
  Taiwan's regional information center covers airspace of 176,000 
square nautical miles and it provides air traffic control services to 
over 1.35 million flights a year. Now, when you are talking about air 
safety, and you are talking about that region--and many of us in this 
body have gone to that part of the world--you have to realize how 
important Taiwan's inclusion is because we are flying through that 
airspace and they should have observer status.
  In addition to that, as has been stated, it's the eighth largest 
airport of international cargo volume in the entire world--so there are 
a lot of flights regarding cargo that are flying out of there on a 
regular basis--and it's the 18th largest airport as far as the number 
of passengers are concerned.
  The safety of millions and millions of people that fly in and out of 
that entire region are at stake. In fact, they estimate as many as 10 
million people's lives are at stake when they go through that area. So 
it seems to me logical and reasonable that Taiwan have observer status. 
It's important that everybody is coordinating, and Taiwan is an 
extremely important asset to that region.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I want to thank the 
sponsors, Mr. Diaz-Balart and Ms. Berkley, for sponsoring this bill. I 
think it's extremely important.
  Ms. BERKLEY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I am very honored, Mr. Speaker, to yield 3 minutes 
to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart), my colleague, 
the ranking member on the Rules Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget 
Process and cochair of the Taiwan Caucus.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I thank my dear friend, the great 
leader from south Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
  Today, a resolution, the resolution that we are debating, discussing, 
has been brought to the floor. It has been authored by another great 
leader, Congresswoman Berkley of Nevada, who I have the honor of 
serving with on the Taiwan Caucus, both of us as cochairs. She is an 
extraordinary leader, and I thank her for doing this.
  Taiwan is such a special friend. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, I 
often think about the undignified and treacherous betrayal of that 
exemplary friend and ally, the Republic of China, when the United 
States broke diplomatic relations--and again, I say, in a treacherous 
and undignified manner--in 1978.
  So everything and anything that we can do to help our friends in that 
miracle of freedom and economic development, through their hard work 
and talent, achieved through their hard work and talent, that miracle 
of freedom and economic development that is Taiwan, anything that we 
can do and everything that we can do to help them, is appropriate and 
is dignified.

                              {time}  1300

  So I thank my colleague, Ms. Berkley, for bringing this resolution to 
the floor. I wholeheartedly support it and urge all of our colleagues 
to do so as well.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 266.
  For too long, Taiwan has been left out of international organizations 
at the demand of China. Taiwan was denied access to the World Health 
Organization, unable to participate as even an observer for over forty 
years. Thankfully, that changed last year as a Taiwanese delegation was 
able to observe meetings in Geneva. Infectious disease knows no 
borders.
  Congress had long pressed for this action through bills and 
resolutions, so it is fitting that we once again take to the floor to 
press for Taiwan's inclusion in the International Civil Aviation 
Organization. Despite being home to the world's 18th busiest airport, 
Taiwan has been kept out of an organization that aims to keep 
passengers safe.
  Indeed, as this resolution finds, Taiwan's exclusion from the ICAO 
has impeded Taiwan's government from keeping up to date with aviation 
standards, and prevented the implementation of new systems and 
procedures. The 35 million passengers that travel to and from Taiwan 
each year are done a great disservice by Taiwan's exclusion.
  Mr. Speaker, in merely decades, Taiwan has gone from poverty to 
prosperity and autocracy to democracy. We have a strong relationship 
that stretches back over half a century. Today, our relations remain 
strong. Passage of this resolution will only serve to strengthen this 
relationship, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I thank all the speakers who spoke on this 
important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 266.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

[[Page H6086]]



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