Remarks on the Taiwan region and the ICAO

by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria

(October 8th, 2022, Abuja)

    Our attention has been drawn to the opinion article “Call to support Taiwan’s participation in ICAO”, published by Sunday PUNCH on 2nd October, 2022, and would like to bring up the facts and full picture of the scenario, and also to reiterate China’s basic and consistent position.

    The ICAO, or in full name the International Civil Aviation Organization, as a specialized agency of the United Nations, is an inter-governmental international organization for sovereign states. The Taiwan region or Taiwan island is part of China, but not a sovereign state, which are globally recognized and generalized as the one-China principle. Decades ago, the resolution 2758 of the UN General Assembly and the resolution of the 74th Session of ICAO Council on representation of China have provided the solid legal foundation for ICAO to handle Taiwan-related issues. In a word, Taiwan region has no qualification to participate in ICAO or any other intergovernmental organizations and agencies.

    The one-China principle is the political foundation for the peaceful growth of cross-Taiwan Strait relations. When this principle is adhered to, the cross-Strait relations will improve and grow and fellow Chinese in Taiwan region will benefit. On the contrary, deviation from the principle will destabilize cross-Strait relations and harm the interests of People in Taiwan region. 

    The one-China principle is also the political foundation for the special arrangement by the central government of China for the Taiwan region to be present at the ICAO Assembly. In 2013, the central government of China, on the premise that the one-China principle was fully upheld, agreed to the Taiwan region’s presence at the 38th ICAO Assembly as a guest of the President of the ICAO Council in the capacity of Chinese Taipei Civil Aeronautics Administration. It was a special arrangement made in the context of the Kuomingtang authorities’ recognition of the 1992 Consensus which embodies the one-China principle and the peaceful growth of cross-Strait relations back then. It does not constitute a precedent. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), since coming into power in 2016, has obstinately pursued the separatist stance of “Taiwan independence” and refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus, which led to the political foundation of the Taiwan region’s presence in the ICAO Assembly no longer existing. That is why afterwards Taiwan region’s presence was denied, which has received the understanding and support by the vast majority of ICAO Member States.

    Using “aviation safety” as a pretext is only to serve DPP’s agenda. Taiwan region enjoys full air facilitation with multiple cities in the world. The channel for it to access the ICAO standards, recommended practices and relevant materials is open, meanwhile the channel for it to conduct professional and technical exchanges with the rest of the world is also open. It has been proved that there is no causal link between Taiwan’s aviation safety and whether the Taiwan authorities can participate in the ICAO intergovernmental activities. 

    We highly appreciate the long-term understanding and support to the one-China principle by the government and dear people in Nigeria. The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair that concerns China’s core interests and the Chinese People’s national sentiments. The Chinese government will never allow any activity by any force or any country that uses the ICAO Assembly, or any other intergovernmental arena, to harm China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.