TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday thanked four US lawmakers for condemning China’s unilateral activation of the W121 connecting path along the M503 flight route.
On Aug. 21, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Gary Peters, along with House Select Committee on China Chair John Moolenaar and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi, sent a letter to International Civil Aviation Organization Secretary-General Juan Carlos Salazar, per MOFA. They said Beijing’s “brazen action” had been years in the making, “provokes regional instability in the Indo-Pacific, and clearly demonstrates a disregard for international order and the potential dangerous civilian consequences of this decision.”
The lawmakers urged ICAO to oppose unilateral alterations of international routes without consulting regional stakeholders. They also called on Salazar to invite Taiwan to participate in the 42nd ICAO Assembly and other technical meetings “to help prevent adverse consequences of the PRC’s action.”
MOFA said this marks the second time the US Congress has publicly supported Taiwan on the issue. In July, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch, Moolenaar, and Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Carlos Gimenez, and Neal Dunn also spoke out on Taiwan’s behalf.
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) expressed gratitude for the bipartisan support. MOFA reiterated that Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration is the sole authority responsible for the Taipei Flight Information Region, which borders the M503 and W121 routes.
According to ICAO regulations, China should have coordinated with Taiwan before altering the routes. However, MOFA said Beijing has refused to engage, “highlighting its arrogance and authoritarian nature, disregarding international civil aviation regulations and the safety of passengers.”
MOFA emphasized that Taiwan, as an Indo-Pacific aviation hub, manages the Taipei FIR, which handles over one million flights and tens of millions of passengers annually. It urged ICAO to ensure Taiwan’s full and unimpeded participation in meetings, mechanisms, and activities, stressing that “aviation safety knows no borders.”
