Thread by @tculpan

1/
So. About this @icao blocking Taiwan issue.
I’ve been following it with an open mind, hearing from both sides. After going through it all, I have come to *my* conclusion.
This is my *opinion*. Some won’t agree or like it. But so be it. Please be patient ..

@icao 2/
As you know, I have natural sympathy for Taiwan.
But many may not know that I covered SARS in 2003 & have those memories etched in my mind.
I’ve also covered 3x plane crashes and am a licensed pilot #AvGeek. I’m also a big fan of the @icao and its goals

@icao 3/
People raised the issue of Taiwan’s participation in
@ICAO. As have people talked about @WHO access. They’re valid questions.
The reality is that the @ICAO & @WHO secretariats’ hands are tied. For all intents & purposes, they’re private members clubs.

@icao @WHO 4/
Members make the rules. And Taiwan is not a member.
The rules of @icao & @un mean they hew to the same One China policy. But remember that when the ROC left the UN, the @kuomintang also claimed to be the only legit ruler of “China”. This background matters ..

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 5/
Historical context matters b/c ICAO comms team use this to justify the blocks. In their view, calling for Taiwan entry, & criticizing ICAO is unjustified.
Some who were blocked by @icao were calling for Taiwan entry. Many were just asking about participation.
Important nuance

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 6/
To justify the Twitter blocks, @icao claimed there was “willful ignorance” and misinformation. Claimed “clear intention”, an “advocacy campaign” & “social media swarming tactics”.

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 7/
I know Taiwan Twitterati and, no offense, but that crowd can barely coordinate a night out for stir fry let alone a coordinated advocacy campaign.
Also, most of them know more about Taiwan @un history than the @icao team

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 8/
That said, I would like @icao to point out the *specific* tweets which stand as evidence of misinformation, clear intent or a campaign. This will help us understand what is acceptable or not (in their eyes)

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 9/
Further to the Taiwan issue. There *is* history of ROC involvement in @un agencies, including
@icao.
This fact negates the premise that under UN/ICAO rules it’s impossible. Yet, it also doesn't mean there necessarily is "precedence" for it to happen again in future

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 10/
A complaint from @ICAO is that there were “counter-factual claims that ICAO is somehow authorized or motivated or in any way capable to exclude any part of the world from access to the public health and transport advice relating to the Novel Coronavirus.”

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 11/
The ICAO complaint is a lot to unpack. I saw no evidence of such claims. But I believe @icao is correct in noting that it isn’t authorized to do many of the things people claim it has, or want it to do.

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 12/
I believe that part of the issue between @icao & those asking about Taiwan access is that many don’t understand what little power ICAO has. And ascribe malice where there is none

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 13/
Many online singled out one Chinese individual at the @icao whom they claim was behind the media block over the Taiwan issue. IMO this is unfair on her, and done without establishing the facts. She deserves not to be prejudged. She may well deserve an apology

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 14/
To justify its moves,@icao claims “to the best of our understanding [ICAO standards & updates] are all being promptly shared by China with all of the applicable aviation stakeholders and officials in its sovereign territories.”

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 15/
IMO, @ICAO’s claim on information sharing is problematic. 1) Even *if* you accept One China, Taiwan has never been under PRC control 2) Beijing has a history of *not* sharing.

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 16/
So, in reality, and in *my* opinion,
@icao is right to reject the notion that it *must* allow Taiwan access. It doesn’t have the power. It’s members do. Maybe it *should*, but that’s not ICAO secretariat’s call

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 17/
Finally, in *my* opinion, based on hearing both sides. I agree that there has been “willful ignorance” and “misinformation”
It’s been on the part of @ICAO who have not spoken to the reality of the situation, but held onto positions that, to me, aren't consistent with reality

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 18/
In blocking people on Twitter, and making statements on Taiwan/China that do not accord with reality, I feel
@icao is willfully ignorant but not malicious in its disinformation.

@icao @WHO @UN @kuomintang 19/
This thread on Taiwan, China & @ICAO is merely my best efforts to try to understand & distill a complicated & heated topic. Open respectful dialogue is the way forward. I hope both sides can make that happen.
Maybe some unblocking needs to happen first
Thanks for listening