“It’s time for ICAO to stop placating the Beijing dictatorship, put global aviation safety first, and invite Taiwan to participate in the assembly,” said Canadian Conservative MP Michael Cooper, who delivered a statement in the House of Commons on Wednesday expressing his disapproval of Taiwan's continued exclusion from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Liberal MP Judy Sgro, president of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association, also made a statement in Parliament on Tuesday supporting Taiwan’s participation in ICAO. Cooper and Sgro will co-host an international press conference in Ottawa next Monday to push for Taiwan’s inclusion in the 42nd ICAO Assembly.

“Taiwan is the 11th largest aviation market in the world and serves as a vital global hub,” Cooper added. “Excluding one of the world’s largest and most responsible airspace managers creates a dangerous gap that undermines global aviation safety and, frankly, makes a mockery of ICAO’s stated mission.”

The ICAO Assembly is held every three years, with this year’s session scheduled for Sept. 23 through Oct. 3. Taiwan has not yet received an invitation, but the government has said it will send an “ICAO Action Team” to Montreal to present its case to delegations and seek support.