[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TAIWAN OBSERVER STATUS IN THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION

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                               speech of

                           HON. PHIL GINGREY

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 11, 2012

  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as one of the Co-Chairs of the 
bipartisan Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I rise in strong support of S. 
Con. Res. 17. I particularly want to commend Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen 
and Ranking Member Berman for bringing this concurrent resolution to 
the floor. Additionally, I would like to applaud the work and 
leadership of our other Co-Chairs--Ms. Berkley of Nevada, Mr. Diaz-
Balart of Florida, and Mr. Connolly of Virginia--for their work 
supporting our relationship with Taiwan.
  Since its inception in 1947, the International Civil Aviation 
Organization, ICAO, has been a great resource for the international 
community to develop and foster the most efficient and safest means of 
airline travel across the world. In the aftermath of the horrific 
terrorist attacks 11 years ago today on September 11, 2001, it was the 
ICAO that convened a conference to endorse a uniform international 
strategy to ensure aviation safety throughout the 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 
the 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 the ICAO. The Taipei Flight Information 
Region covers airspace of 176,000 square nautical miles and 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 
year. With this high volume of air traffic, Taiwan certainly deserves 
to have a seat at the table of the ICAO--at least as an observer.
  Mr. Speaker, this is precisely what this concurrent resolution seeks 
to accomplish. Providing Taiwan with meaningful participation at the 
ICAO only benefits both the Taiwanese and the international community 
as a whole. Due to our longstanding relationship and respect for our 
friends in Taiwan, I urge all of my colleagues to support S. Con. Res. 
17.

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