[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             KOWTOW: THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S BOW TO BEIJING

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, recently, Lorna Hahn had an op-ed 
piece in the Washington Post titled, ``Kowtow: The State Department's 
Bow to Beijing.''
  What she says there makes eminent sense.
  I cannot understand our continuing to give a cold shoulder to 
President Lee of Taiwan.
  I trust our Government will make its decision known soon that it will 
do the responsible thing and let President Lee come to our country. He 
is a freely elected president of a multiparty country with a free 
press. We should not give him the cold shoulder because another nation 
without these human rights objects.
  I ask that the Lorna Hahn item be printed in the Record at this 
point.
  The item follows:

             Kowtow--The State Department's Bow to Beijing.

                            (By Lorna Hahn)

       Lee Teng-hui, president of the Republic of China on Taiwan, 
     wishes to accept an honorary degree from Cornell University, 
     where he earned his PhD in agronomy.
       Last year, when Cornell made the same offer, Lee was 
     refused entry into the United States because Beijing 
     belligerently reminded the State Department that granting a 
     visa to a Taiwanese leader would violate the principle of 
     ``One China.'' (Cornell subsequently sent an emissary to 
     Taipei for a substitute ceremony.) This year, on Feb. 9, 
     Assistant Secretary of State Winston Lord told a 
     congressional hearing that our government ``will not reverse 
     the policies of six administrations of both parties.''
       It is high time it did. The old policy was adopted at a 
     time when China and Taiwan were enemies, Taiwan's government 
     claimed to represent all of China, and Beijing's leaders 
     would never dream of meeting cordially with their 
     counterparts from Taipei. Today, things are very different.
       Upon assuming office in 1988, Lee dropped all pretense of 
     ever reconquering the mainland and granted that the 
     Communists do indeed control it. Since then, he has eased 
     tensions and promoted cooperation with the People's Republic 
     of China through the Lee Doctrine, the pragmatic, flexible 
     approach through which he (1) acts independently without 
     declaring independence, which would provoke Chinese wrath and 
     perhaps an invasion; (2) openly recognizes the PRC government 
     and its achievements and asks that it reciprocate, and (3) 
     seeks to expand Taiwan's role in the world while assuring 
     Beijing that he is doing so as a fellow Chinese who has their 
     interests at heart as well.
       Lee claims to share Beijing's dream of eventual 
     reunification--provided it is within a democratic, free-
     market system. Meanwhile, he wants the PRC--and the world--to 
     accept the obvious fact that China has since 1949 been a 
     divided country, like Korea, and that Beijing has never 
     governed or represented Taiwan's people. Both governments, he 
     believes, should be represented abroad while forging ties 
     that could lead to unity.
       To this end he has fostered massive investments in the 
     mainland, promoted extensive and frequent business, cultural, 
     educational and other exchanges, and offered to meet 
     personally with PRC President Jiang Zemin to discuss further 
     cooperation. His policies are so well appreciated in 
     Beijing--which fears the growing strength of Taiwan's pro-
     independence movement--that Jiang recently delivered a highly 
     conciliatory speech to the Taiwanese people in which he 
     suggested that their leaders exchange visits.
       If China's leaders are willing to welcome Taiwan's 
     president to Beijing, why did their foreign ministry, on 
     March 9, once again warn that ``we are opposed to Lee Teng-
     hui visiting the United States in any form''? Because Beijing 
     considers the ``Taiwan question'' to be an ``internal 
     affair'' in which, it claims, the United States would be 
     meddling if it granted Lee a visa.
       But Lee does not wish to come here in order to discuss the 
     ``Taiwan question'' or other political matters, and he does 
     not seek to meet with any American officials. He simply 
     wishes to accept an honor from a private American 
     institution, and perhaps discuss with fellow Cornell alumni 
     the factors that have contributed to Taiwan's--and China's--
     outstanding economic success.
       President Clinton has yet to make the final decision 
     regarding Lee's visit. As Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-Conn.) 
     recently stated: ``It seems to me illogical not to allow 
     President Lee on a private basis to go back to his alma 
     mater.'' As his colleague Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) added: 
     ``It is embarrassing for many of us to think that, after 
     encouraging the people and government on Taiwan to 
     democratize, which they have, [we forbid President Lee] to 
     return to the United States * * * to receive an honorary 
     degree.''
     

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