Sens. Cruz, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Bill For Integrating Taiwan in Global Aviation Forum

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill mandating the administration develop a strategy to end the ICAO’s exclusion of  Taiwan.

About the bill, Sen. Cruz said:

“ICAO can't successfully pursue its mission to ensure aviation safety while excluding Taiwan, which has one of the world’s largest aviation systems. This exclusion, and the fact that it is the result of bowing to political pressure from the Chinese Communist Party, directly endangers ICAO’s credibility as a multilateral organization.”

Sen. Merkley said:

“The International Civil Aviation Organization helps ensure the safety and security of global aviation. Taiwan is home to the fifth largest airport in Asia and plays a major role in global aviation, serving as a hub of information, resources, and expertise. Taiwan’s meaningful participation in ICAO will enable the organization to do its job better. The United States should use its voice and vote to support Taiwan’s inclusion in ICAO.”

Sen. Cruz has previously called for Taiwan’s inclusion in the ICAO earlier this month before the ICAO Assembly, and in February 2020 he sent a letter to the ICAO as they attempted to exclude Taiwan from their international response to COVID-19. Sen. Merkley, who currently serves as the Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, has previously pushed for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations as the lead Democrat sponsoring the Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act. 

Read the bill here.

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