ICAO refuses to grant Taiwanese journalists accreditation for assembly, cites ‘one China’ policy [UPDATED]

As a result of the policy, no Taiwanese reporter will be allowed to attend the event in Montreal, where a decision will be made on whether to grant their country observer status at the international aviation organization

The International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) will hold its triennial assembly in Montreal from Sept. 24 through Oct. 4. Taiwan is aiming to obtain observer status at the body — due to the UN’s “one China” policy and UN rigidity, the country of 23 million people, home to the 10th largest airport in the world, cannot obtain membership. Now ICAO, stating the UN’s “one China” policy, is refusing to grant accreditation to Taiwanese reporters, a policy similar to that encountered by Taiwanese journalists trying to cover the World Health Assembly in Geneva every year. In other words, no Taiwanese reporter will be allowed to attend the event, where a decision will be made on whether to grant their country observer status. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ottawa is aware of the situation and is actively seeking to have this fixed. If you’re in the area (999 University St) or want to call (514-954-8219), feel free to tell them what you think! (Photo by the author)

Statement from the Association of Taiwan Journalists (ATJ):

抗議ICAO拒發台灣媒體記者證

聲明稿

針對國際民航組織（ICAO）以「一個中國政策」為由，拒發記者證給台灣媒體一事，台灣新聞記者協會聲明如下：

一、ICAO拒發記者證給台灣媒體工作者的做法，已嚴重侵害記者之新聞採訪權，違反新聞自由之世界民主常規，台灣新聞記者協會將行文聯合國提出嚴正抗議，並要求國際記者聯盟就此要求 ICAO應對各國媒體記者一視同仁，勿以任何政治因素，侵害新聞自由。

二、就在ICAO拒發記者證給台灣媒體之際，外交部大張旗鼓對外公布民航局長獲邀參與ICAO大會的新聞，甚至以此為榮，卻隻字未提拒發台灣記者證之事，台灣新聞記者協會強烈譴責外交部，為附和一中政策自我矮化，漠視台灣新聞記者採訪權受侵害、新聞自由受國際踐踏，已嚴重失格、作法失當，本協會要求外交部應立即行文ICAO平等對待台灣記者，立即發出記者證。