Taiwan not invited to aviation meeting

Media in Taiwan reported recently that authorities on the island are attempting to negotiate attendance at the 39th session of the International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly, though it had not been invited.

The 39th ICAO Assembly will be held in Montreal, Canada, from Sept 27 to Oct 7.

During the 2013 assembly, aviation authorities from Taiwan received a letter of invitation two weeks in advance, and they sent staff members as nonvoting delegates after an exchange of views on the issue with the mainland.

This year, Taiwan received no invitation, according to the Taiwan-based Liberty Times newspaper.

Lianhe Wanbao, another newspaper, reported that Taiwan is neither a member of the ICAO nor an observer.

The State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office on the mainland responded to Taiwan's participation at a news conference on Wednesday.

Ma Xiaoguang, the office's spokesman, said that any arrangements for Taiwan's participation in international organizations must be based on the one-China principle.

"Our position is clear and consistent - that is, such participation must be arranged through negotiations between the mainland and Taiwan based on the one-China principle," Ma said.

Ma said that since 2008, the mainland has made practical arrangements regarding Taiwan's participation in some international organizations and activities through negotiations with the island. Such arrangements were achieved on the basis of both sides adhering to the 1992 Consensus, which states the principle.

Taiwan's authorities have yet to recognize the consensus, Ma said, leading to a standstill in cross-Straits communication.

Only by recognizing the political basis of one China, Ma said, can the two sides continue their institutional exchanges and have discussions about Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

Xinhua contributed to this story.