[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TAIWAN STUDENTS AND FREE EXPRESSION

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, in our Nation we take for granted the 
ability to speak freely and express what we please with no governmental 
interference. There are a number of celebrated legal cases that 
delineate the standard of time and manner regulation of speech in 
America and other select limitations. Moreover, here in America we 
don't believe that expression is allowed for one group and not for 
comparable organizations. Such designated permission is paramount to 
censorship of the party denied their speech.
  In this regard, I voice my concern today about an incident that has 
been reported about an incident that occurred at the Olympic Games in 
Atlanta during a table tennis championship between Taiwan and the 
People's Republic of China. During the game, two Taiwanese students 
waving the national flags of Taiwan were arrested under the premise 
that they could not wave large flags, yet all around them large flags 
from other countries were in fact being waved by a multitude of those 
present at the event.
  Mr. President, to understand the deep significance of this event is 
to know that the contentions over flags and other items of national 
emblems and insignia is one of the issues that has long obstructed an 
amiable relationship between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan. 
This history is extensive and, frankly, humiliating to Taiwan, which 
has not always been afforded the full privileges of national pride at 
events where both the Peoples' Republic of China and Taiwan have been 
represented.
  Again, at these Olympic Games in Atlanta, Taiwan was subject to not 
displaying their recognized flag and subjecting their representatives 
to wearing other colors and design. While the Taiwan Government 
recognized the need for its official representatives to abide by an 
arrangement with the Olympic Committee, Taiwanese fans were not subject 
to such agreements. Nor should they have been. I believe the United 
States would have been furious if its citizens were asked to not 
display the Stars and Stripes or substitute the flag for another emblem 
under which to cheer their teams. Yet, in Atlanta, the Taiwanese 
citizens were arrested for ``disruption of public order by waving the 
flag of the National Republic of China (Taiwan).'' Mr. Hsu, a citizen 
of the Peoples' Republic of China and chairman of the International 
Table Tennis Association, admits to calling on the police to arrest the 
students.
  I am concerned that the Atlanta Police Department was answering to a 
citizen of the Peoples' Republic of China in conducting arrests of 
individuals in America. Additionally, the question of subjecting 
citizens from countries to all of the agreements that the formal 
representatives may agree to is also a disturbing precedent. I believe 
the International Olympic Committee should carefully examine these 
circumstances, particularly since we in the United States fundamentally 
believe in more expression rather than less. Oliver Wendell Holmes once 
pronounced a need for great protection of the ``marketplace of ideas.'' 
We should do no less for the expression of national pride. We should 
not be party to restricting some individuals for waving flags when the 
premise of the Olympic Games is the competition of athletes 
representing their nations. I urge an examination of the facts of this 
situation by the proper authorities.

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