Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I will make some remarks, and then I will also yield back the remainder of our time. I rise in strong support of this important resolution which calls upon the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, to grant meaningful participation for Taiwan. Is there any doubt in a post-September 11th world that air traffic safety constitutes one of the first lines of defense against those who would do harm to the United States or to our friends and allies? Are not the people of Taiwan deserving of the same level of protection against air assault as provided to the other peoples whose governments participate in ICAO? The Taipei flight information region, under the jurisdiction of Taiwan, covers an airspace of 176,000 square nautical miles. Taiwan's main international airport is recognized as the eighth largest in the world in cargo traffic and the 18th in the number of international passengers who make use of its services. Can there be any doubt, therefore, that Taiwan, which provides air safety control services for well over 1,350,000 flights annually needs meaningful participation in the international organization responsible for air safety and security? Beijing, like some haughty overlord, condescendingly informed Taipei and the U.N. system in the year 2009 that it would allow, at least temporarily, Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly.…”