Statement by the Taiwanese Canadian Association and all Taiwanese Canadians June 14, 2018 Taiwanese Canadians come to Montreal today to defend the dignity and sovereignty of Taiwan and of Canada. We are here to demonstrate our anger at the April 25 order sent from China to international airlines to list Taiwan as part of China on their websites. We are dismayed that Air Canada is among the 18 airlines who have kowtowed to the Chinese Communist Party, and outraged that the government of Canada disingenuously pretends that this is “strictly a commercial decision”. We condemn the hegemonic arrogance of the Chinese Communist Party demanding that international airlines “annex” Taiwan to China on their website. This is a not only a transgression against the sovereignty Taiwan but also the home states of the airlines. China has no authority over what happens in Taiwan, and no claim to do so in international law. Its order to “comply with Chinese law” is a risible demand from a naked Emperor that we praise his new clothes. We note that this is only the latest of a series of microaggressions against Taiwan, aimed at erasing Taiwan from the map, first symbolically, and later by forcible annexation. We demand that Canada firmly reject this unilateral move to undermine Canada’s One China Policy. The government of Canada knows full well that this is NOT "strictly a commercial decision". It is the effect of a Chinese Communist gun pointed at Air Canada. Air Canada looked to Canada for a support and our government ran for cover. Canada must give strong support to Air Canada, and do what we can do so well - take the lead to craft a multilateral response by all affected states to this “Orwellian nonsense”. We urge Air Canada to be a Canadian airline, not a pawn of the Chinese Communist Party. Classifying Taiwan as “China” on your website has no basis in international law. We urge you to follow the lead of Quantas, JAL and ANA and reverse your dishonourable surrender to Chinese demands. We realize that this issue is larger than Air Canada, so we urge you to use the leadership skills of your CEO and your board to organize an alliance of all affected airlines to stand together against China’s illegal pretensions. We thank the Members of Parliament and Senators of all parties who have spoken out in support of Taiwan, as well as other Canadians of conscience who understand that this is not only a Taiwan matter, but a challenge to Canada. --
The Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada 加拿大台灣人權協會 was organized in 1991 to expand and continue the work of the 1989 Yih-Sheh Leo Support Committee. THRAC works for human rights in Taiwan, China, and Canada. Our website is thracanada.blogspot.ca . |