Taiwan for ICAO: Safety above politics, safe skies, sustainable future

The 42^nd International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly is set to convene in Montreal Canada from 23 September to 3 October 2025, with the theme “Safe Skies, Sustainable Future”. Yet Taiwan remains excluded — a gap that creates unnecessary risks in the global aviation network.

Taipei FIR: A vital aviation hub

Taiwan, as a vital hub connecting Northeast and Southeast Asia, the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) handles more than 1.6 million flights and 70 million passengers in 2024 alone. In addition, Taiwan fully aligns its regulations with ICAO standards and is advancing carbon-offset programs and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to reduce emissions, contributing to global efforts in achieving a sustainable future, as well as upholding ICAO’s mission for safe skies.

High Stakes for travelers, communities

The stakes extend far beyond Taiwan. The Taipei FIR borders four others：Fukuoka, Manila, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, and sits at the crossroads between China, Japan, and the Philippines.

Almost half a million Philippine travelers visited Taiwan in 2024, a number projected to exceed 600,000 in 2025. Meanwhile, nearly 200,000 overseas Filipino workers and residents live in Taiwan. The safety of flights linking the Philippines and Taiwan is therefore a matter of deep concern not only to Taiwan, but also to countless Filipino families.

International support

The international community has long recognized this risk. Recently, Canadian Conservative MP Michael Cooper in Canada’s House of Commons, called for Taiwan’s inclusion in ICAO, urging the organization to “stop placating the Beijing dictatorship, put global aviation safety first, and invite Taiwan to participate.” He added that excluding “one of the largest and most responsible airspace managers creates a dangerous gap that undermines global aviation safety, and makes a mockery of ICAO’s stated mission.”

Liberal MP Judy Sgro, chair of the Canadian-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, also echoed support for Taiwan’s participation during the House of Commons.

Inclusive cooperation for safer skies

Their calls are timely. Granting Taiwan direct access to ICAO discussions is not a political gesture, it is a global safety imperative.

ICAO must invite Taiwan to the table. The safety of international travelers, including more than three-quarters of a million Filipinos, depends on inclusive cooperation, not political exclusion. The stakes are high for the world to look away.