[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONCERT FOR DEMOCRACY: TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT LEE TENG-HUI, REPUBLIC OF 
                                 CHINA

                                 ______


                        HON. MAURICE D. HINCHEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 13, 1996

  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, on March 17, 1996, Representative and Mrs. 
Benjamin Lu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office 
in Washington, DC, will host the Music for Democracy Concert at the 
Kennedy Center. This concert is a celebration of the Republic of 
China's long journey toward complete democratization.
  The Republic of China's democratization has been rapid and total. 
Over the last 8 years, President Lee Teng-hui has presided over 
economic and political liberalization, the free election of the 
National Assembly, three elections of the Legislative Yuan, the 
Republic of China's Parliament, and the election of the Governor of 
Taiwan Province and mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung, culminating in the 
Republic of China's free and direction election of the President of the 
Republic of China on March 23, 1996.
  President Lee Teng-hui is one of four Presidential candidates on the 
March 23 ballot. Regardless of the outcome of this election, President 
Lee Teng-hui must be complimented and respected for his unwavering 
determination to bring total democracy to his country. He alone has 
brought to fulfillment the dreams and aspirations of the Chinese people 
for a free and open society.
  I wish to extend our best wishes to Representative and Mrs. Lu and to 
all the Chinese people living in the Republic of China. These are 
indeed trying times for them, but democracy, as always, will most 
certainly prevail over any adversity.

                          ____________________