Caribbean ally St. Lucia has expressed support for Taiwan’s participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The ICAO Assembly is taking place in Montreal, with Taiwan once again blocked from attending. St. Lucia’s words of support for Taiwan triggered a protest from the Chinese delegation.

Senior St. Lucian official Herodotus Stanislas said that Taiwan should be entitled to attend the ICAO meeting as an observer because its exclusion is contrary to the UN’s objective of a ‘seamless sky’.

In response, the Chinese delegation reiterated Beijing’s position that there is only one China and that Taiwan is a part of its territory. Citing a UN General Assembly resolution, the delegation said that there is no legal basis for Taiwan’s inclusion in ICAO events because it is not a sovereign state.

Taiwan’s top envoy to Canada, Winston Chen expressed regret over the Chinese delegation’s response. Chen said only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent Taiwan’s 23 million people, and that China cannot. Chen said Taiwan’s exclusion from the ICAO has created a gap in the global aviation network.