[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13333]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORT OF TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL CIVIL 
                         AVIATION ORGANIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE BISHOP

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 21, 2016

  Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
Taiwan's participation in the upcoming International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) assembly next Tuesday, September 27, 2016. Taiwan 
is a good friend to the United States. Our shared values include 
respect for market institutions, democracy, free elections, and human 
rights. In 2013, Congress passed H.R. 1151, which became Public Law 
113-17. This law called for Taiwan's participation in the triennial 
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assembly as an 
observer. With wide international support, Taiwan was indeed able to 
attend, and observe, the 38th ICAO Assembly.
  This year, I hope to again see Taiwan included in the Assembly. To 
highlight the importance, I would like to quote an article by Stanley 
Kao, Representative of TECRO in the United States, for Taiwan's 
participation in ICAO.
  ``Taiwan needs to be part of ICAO because it is an indispensable 
player in global aviation safety. The Taipei Flight Information Region 
(FIR), which is administered by Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics 
Administration (CAA), covers 180,000 nm and borders four other FIRs: 
Fukuoka, Manila, Hong Kong and Shanghai. In 2015, Taiwan's CAA provided 
over 1.53 million instances of air traffic control services and handled 
58 million incoming and outgoing passengers.''
  ``Despite its location in the busiest section of airspace in East 
Asia, Taiwan's CAA has had no direct access to ICAO for the past 40 
years and has only indirectly gained information, in some cases 
incomplete, on ICAO regulations and standards related to safety, 
management, security and environmental protection. The CAA has had to 
resort to various informal channels to keep up with the development of 
ICAO's regulations and standards and overcome the difficulties 
associated with a lack of transparency in order to maintain adequate 
safety levels and service standards in the Taipei FIR. The CAA has had 
to make an extra effort to keep abreast of constant updates to flight 
safety and security standards set by ICAO. Obtaining that information 
often has been a costly and drawn-out process.''
  As East Asia's busiest airspace, it not only makes sense that Taiwan 
should have access to the latest technologies and standards in civil 
aviation safety; it is a matter of public safety. Mr. Speaker, I 
strongly urge the international community to allow Taiwan to partake in 
the upcoming ICAO assembly.

                          ____________________