[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 53 (Thursday, May 5, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
AN IMPORTANT POLICY STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT LEE TENG-HUI OF THE REPUBLIC 
                                OF CHINA

                                 ______


                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 1994

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, President Lee Teng-hui of the Republic of 
China on Taiwan recently completed a successful overseas trip that took 
him to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. Although the ROC does 
not have formal diplomatic relations with any of these countries, 
President Lee was received by the head of state in each one. He also 
met with a wide array of senior officials and policymakers at each stop 
on his tour.
  Upon his return to Taiwan, President Lee conducted a news conference 
in which he discussed the objectives of his trip and also spoke to some 
of the larger issues affecting the ROC's role in the world. Throughout 
his meeting with reporters, he demonstrated a strong grasp of 
international affairs and also revealed the current state of his 
government's policy toward mainland China.
  After observing that:

       Following the end of the cold war, the world situation, and 
     in particular the world economic situation, has slowly moved 
     toward regional cooperation and the further establishment of 
     inter-regional economic relations.

  President Lee said his overseas trip was focused on developing closer 
economic relations between Taiwan and the three countries he visited.
  Taiwan's extraordinary economic success and development over the past 
40 years are widely admired and serve as an appropriate model for other 
East Asian countries. Accordingly, President Lee announced that the ROC 
will seek to expand its participation in agricultural development 
projects in the three countries he visited and move quickly to resolve 
investment issues that Taiwan still has with the Philippines and 
Indonesia. He also said the establishment of a free trade zone between 
Taiwan and the Philippines is under discussion.
  Turning to the larger international issues that face the ROC, 
President Lee expressed this view:

       I believe that leaders around the world share a common 
     view. What view? That the political system of a nation should 
     be democratic and free in orientation, and its economy should 
     be a free market economy.

  Therefore, he said:

       The further development of our nation requires abandoning 
     ideology and striving for peace, cooperation, and prosperity.

  When asked by reporters to elaborate this point, President Lee 
suggested that ``the Republic of China could be termed a nation within 
a divided China.'' Although the eventual reunification of China is, in 
his view, a historical inevitability, contemporary political realities 
throughout the world dictate the patient pursuit of a nonadversarial 
course.

       Our foreign policy is devoted to pragmatic diplomacy while 
     our mainland policy is aimed at promoting mutual trust 
     between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait * * * If we all 
     support the ROC during the process of pragmatic diplomacy, 
     then there will be no need for a firm ideological stance when 
     negotiating with the Chinese mainland, nor for constantly 
     thinking of one's own ideology or considering oneself the 
     greatest and adopting a paternalistic stance. We should 
     devote ourselves to world peace, progress, and prosperity--
     this is the direction in which the whole world is heading. 
     Even the Communists should be heading this way.

  Mr. Speaker, at a time when our attention has been drawn to the 15th 
anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, President Lee 
is even now on another successful overseas trip to Nicaragua, Costa 
Rica, South Africa, and Swaziland. All Members should applaud the 
success of President Lee's trips and the important statements he makes 
upon his return.
  The continued maturation of the democratic political system in the 
Republic of China, as evidence by President Lee's recent remarks, 
should contribute greatly to the maintenance of stability and 
prosperity throughout the entire East Asia region.

                          ____________________