[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 135 (Friday, September 19, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    OBSERVER STATUS FOR TAIWAN AT THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION 
                              ORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, greater, more meaningful participation for 
Taiwan in international organizations is based on the need for the 
international community to marshal all of its expertise in meeting 
today's global challenges. For example, in a world trying to contain 
what is a grave Ebola epidemic, it would make no sense for a nation 
with Taiwan's resources and expertise to be completely shut out of the 
deliberations of the World Health Organization. It took the SARS crisis 
for Taiwan to achieve observer status, but its participation should be 
maximized as much as possible, given that global health crises may grow 
more frequent with increased globalization.
  Additionally, while I welcome the invitation that was extended to 
Taiwan by the leadership of the International Civil Aviation 
Organization to attend last September's assembly, Taiwan should at the 
very least have an ongoing seat at the table. The number of air 
travelers has grown, the threat of terrorism has not dissipated, and 
yet Taiwan is unable to receive the real-time safety information made 
available to all ICAO members.
  These are just two examples of how the world does not benefit from 
Taiwan's isolation from the technical and expert deliberations of 
international organizations. There are others. Working to assist Taiwan 
to gain entry as an observer into the ICAO, just as we did in the case 
of the World Health Assembly and as we must do on other fronts, is the 
right thing to do for Taiwan, for the United States, and for the world. 
I urge my colleagues to redouble our efforts on this front.

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