China claims responsibility for blocking Taiwan at key international aviation meeting; Taiwanese reporters the latest to be shunned.
The News Lens
Date: 2016/09/26
By: Edward White
The debacle unfolding at an important international air safety meeting has taken another twist with China
Photo Credit: Chiang Ying-ying / AP Photo / 達志影像
appearing to claim responsibility for blocking Taiwan at the event and with Taiwanese journalists reportedly being turned away.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) holds an assembly every three years; its recommendations and policies are considered key to the development and maintenance of global aviation standards.
This year’s meeting, held from Sept. 27-Oct. 7, has been marred by the exclusion of Taiwan, which after years of diplomatic effort attended the 2013 event under the name Chinese Taipei. Several countries, including the U.S. and Japan, lobbied the Montreal-based UN agency again this year for Taiwan’s inclusion.
However, relations across the Taiwan Strait cooled after the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) was voted out of power in January. China, whose representative began a three-year term as ICAO secretary general on Aug. 1 last year, now appears to be claiming responsibility for blocking Taiwan – which is not a UN member – from attending this year’s event. [FULL STORY]
