[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 82 (Thursday, June 12, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1204-E1206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 TAIWAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 1997

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have received a copy of a speech by the 
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, Taiwan, John 
Chang, which he gave before the European Parliament on May 22, 1997.
  Minister Chang's speech outlines the significant progress that Taiwan 
has made towards economic prosperity, political plurality, and 
democracy since 1949 and his call for better recognition of the 
Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan as a full member of the 
international community. I invite my colleagues to read Minister 
Chang's compelling arguments.
  Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I ask that Minister Chang's speech be 
inserted at this point in the Congressional Record.

We, The Republic of China on Taiwan, Shall Rise Up Again--Speech Given 
      to the European Parliament, May 22, 1997, Brussels, Belgium

       Mr. Chairman Spencer, distinguished members of the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defense Policy, 
     Ladies and Gentlemen:
       Thank you all so much for inviting me to speak to you at 
     this very very prestigious forum today. It is truly a great 
     honor not only for my humble self, but also for my 
     government, the Republic of China which is now located on an 
     island called Taiwan. Allow me first of all to convey to each 
     and every one of you the warmest greeting and gratitude from 
     21.3 million people living in Taiwan. We deeply appreciated 
     this opportunity that our story can finally be directly told 
     and better understood to our respectable members of the 
     European Parliament.
       I was told that over the past years, the Dalai Lama of 
     Tibet, Mr. Arafat of PLO and Mr. Mandela of ANC etc., all had 
     been invited to this forum to exchange views with you over 
     their issues. The situation that the Republic of China on 
     Taiwan faces today is totally different from theirs, but 
     there is one thing in common, it is that we all need the fair 
     attention of the world and we all have to appeal to 
     international justice.
       It took me about 20 hours to fly over from Taipei to 
     Brussels, the day before yesterday, yet it has taken my 
     government, the Republic of China, more than twenty-five 
     years to be finally given an important international platform 
     like this today to have our voice heard, to have our humble 
     views shared, and to have our story faithfully told.
       It is sad to point out that our freedom of speech as a 
     sovereign state, has long been deprived of from almost all 
     international organizations since 1971, the year when we were 
     forced out of the UN, simply because of mainland China's 
     untrue position that there is but one China on earth, which 
     is the People's Republic of China, and that Republic of China 
     on Taiwan is one of their provinces. The sheer existence of 
     one able, prosperous, vigorous and democratic government 
     called the Republic of China, has been for nearly a quarter-
     century, veiled in thick political fog of world politics. The 
     truth about my country, the truth about my people have all 
     been flagrantly distorted and badly twisted. And the rights 
     of my government as a sovereign state have subsequently been 
     brutally neglected, ignored and even totally denied in world 
     affairs arena for decades.
       The Republic of China was established in 1912 by a 
     successful revolution led by Dr. Sun Yet-sen, which overthrew 
     the Ching Dynasty. Dr. Sun Yet-sen was educated in the United 
     States, and he had widely toured the European continent and 
     did his research at the British Empire Library in London for 
     a number of years before he returned to China to lead the 
     revolution. Europe has evidently very much to do with the 
     birth of a modern China. Actually the link between Europe and 
     China, I mean the ancient China, was forged centuries ago.
       When any scholar talks about the early contacts between 
     Europe and Cathay, he can never afford to forget to mention 
     two prominent European figures, one is, of course, Marco 
     Polo, the other, Matteo Ricci. Both of them are Italians, the 
     former a legendary merchant, the latter a Jesuit missionary, 
     and they were 300 years apart. Marco Polo traveled with his 
     father and uncle from Venice to China in 1271, when 
     Mongolians were ruling China. He had spent 24 years in China. 
     Matteo Ricci came to China under Ming Dynasty in 1583, he 
     lived in China for 30 years and died there. The great 
     differences between the two great Italians lie in the fact 
     that the trader Marco Polo succeeded in introducing the old 
     Cathay to Europe, yet the missionary Matteo Ricci did things 
     another way around, he introduced Europe to China, not only 
     her culture, science, but the religion of Christianity. The 
     most important contribution that Marco Polo ever rendered was 
     his bringing back to Europe such Chinese inventions as the 
     compass, paper-making, paper money and printing. Many 
     historians believe that Marco Polo's book entitled 
     ``Description of the World'' may have influenced many 
     explorers, including Christopher Columbus. By citing this 
     portion of history, I intend simply to stress that how close 
     once we were together in the past, and we certainly would be 
     even closer in the future.
       A few minutes ago I pointed out that the Republic of China 
     was established in 1912 after a revolution strongly motivated 
     by a new tide of political thought of Europe. It was the 
     first Republic in entire Asia. The ensuing thirty years for 
     the new Republic were all turbulent and chaotic. Only after 
     the end of World War II, the new Republic got a very short 
     breathing period. But it was already too late, the entire 
     nation became fully exhausted by the eight-year-Sino-Japanese 
     war from 1937 to 1945. The Chinese Communists seized the 
     opportunity to engage a civil war against the nationalist 
     government of KMT led by late Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. 
     The Communists won the war in 1949, consequently, the 
     government of the Republic of China was then moved from the 
     Chinese mainland to the island of Taiwan with her 
     Constitution which was promulgated in 1947.
       In 1949 when the government of the Republic of China was 
     relocated on Taiwan, she remained to be the legitimate 
     government of whole China with a majority of nations in the 
     UN supporting this claim diplomatically, the number was 47 
     out of 59. As the membership of the UN grew up to exactly 100 
     in 1960, the number of nations which maintained diplomatic 
     ties with the Republic of China on Taiwan was 53, still a 
     majority support in

[[Page E1205]]

     the world organization. Her diplomatic relations reached a 
     peak ten years later in 1970 with 67 nations formally 
     recognizing her, and the membership of the UN was 126, yet 
     the following year in 1971, a drastic down-turn took place, 
     because of the change of attitude of the US vis-a-vis her 
     relationship with the PRC. The seat of a founding member of 
     the UN, the Republic of China was unprecedently replaced by a 
     relatively young regime, the People's Republic of China which 
     was created in 1949, 38 years junior to the ROC. What was 
     truly in question as an issue at the UN in 1971 was not the 
     Republic of China's legitimacy as a sovereign state which was 
     so challenged and defeated, but it was her representation 
     right which she insisted, should cover the entire China, 
     including the Chinese mainland over which she was not 
     exercising jurisdiction. It was her ``representation right'' 
     that she lost, not her sovereignty as a state! Around the end 
     of 1971, after the UN fiasco, the number of states which 
     recognized Republic of China on Taiwan dropped from 67 to 54. 
     It was an admitted failure for the Republic of China in her 
     battle with the People's Republic of China over the so-called 
     ``Chinese representation right'' issue in the UN. Yet this 
     does not mean at all as the PRC has ever so alleged that the 
     Republic of China has lost in the battle at UN together with 
     her statehood. This allegation is absolutely groundless, 
     untrue and absurd in accordance with international law.
       There is no denial that after our forced departure from the 
     United Nations, the Republic of China on Taiwan has become 
     more and more isolated internationally. Yet the frustration 
     on the international front has never hampered the iron will 
     and firm determination of the people and government of the 
     Republic of China to move on forward to effectively develop 
     our economy and to enhance our democracy.
       Twenty years ago, in 1976, out total trade volume was $15.6 
     billion US dollars, last year, 1996, our export import trade 
     volume reached $217.2 billion US dollars, with a surplus 
     $14.7 billion US dollars. The Republic of China has been 
     fortunate and had a 6% annual growth for the past ten 
     years, bringing our per capita gross national product to 
     $12,000. Exports have made our economy. Today the Republic 
     of China is a leading producer of electronics, computers 
     and other industrial products. Today we are selling the 
     world disk drives, monitors, notebooks and modems. To give 
     you an example: last year, we had $11.6 billion in 
     computer-hardware production. We are the largest computer 
     manufacturer in the world after the United States, Japan 
     and Germany.
       Our trade with the European Union has grown rapidly in a 
     very encouraging way in the past three years. The volume grew 
     from $23 billion in 1994 to $29.5 billion in 1995 and $31.3 
     billion in 1996.
       Of our European trading partners, Germany enjoys the 
     highest volume of $8.6 billion, followed by the Netherlands 
     with $5.2 billion, UK $4.6 billion, France $4.2 billion and 
     Italy $2.6 billion. And Belgium is our 7th trading partner 
     with a volume of $1.32 billion, after Switzerland of $1.75 
     billion, ahead of Sweden of $1.13 billion. My government has 
     attached great importance to our trade with the European 
     Union as a whole in the past, we will continue to do the same 
     in the future.
       Our focus on high technology and electronic exports has 
     been a success. In less than 50 years, Taiwan ranks as the 
     world's 20th largest economy with a gross national product of 
     $275 billion. We are the 13th largest trading nation in the 
     world and have accumulated world's third largest reserves of 
     foreign exchange. Yet we are not a member of the UN.
       We have come a long way in terms of political achievements. 
     It was not very long ago that ``Martial Law'' was still in 
     effect and minimal contacts were allowed between us and our 
     compatriots on the Chinese Mainland. In 1987, just 10 years 
     ago, the late president Chiang Ching-kuo lifted the martial 
     law and allowed the major opposition party--Democratic 
     Progressive Party--to form. President Chiang also eliminated 
     the restrictions and bans on newspapers, public assembly and 
     demonstrations.
       President Chiang's decision to lift martial law laid the 
     foundation of a series of additional political reforms 
     beginning in the early 1990s. President Chiang passed away in 
     1988, and was immediately succeeded by President Lee Teng-
     Huei in accordance with our Constitution. It was President 
     Lee who charted all those extremely important reforms in the 
     90's. The National Assembly amended our Constitution to allow 
     the government to hold all-Taiwan elections to replace 
     Assembly members and lawmakers who had not faced their 
     electorate for more than 40 years. In 1991, the first all-
     Taiwan National assembly was elected, seating 325 members. 
     The assembly further amended the Constitution in 1992 and 
     1994 to shorten the terms of office for the president and 
     Assembly members from six years to four. Most importantly, 
     the amended Constitution allowed our President to be elected 
     by all voting age citizens in the ROC's jurisdiction in 
     1996. On March 23, 1996, Dr. Lee Teng-Huei defeated three 
     other presidential rivals and became the first popularly-
     elected President of the Republic of China. In the five 
     thousand years of Chinese history, this was the first time 
     that the Chinese people were able to elect their head of 
     state directly. The legitimacy of the government of the 
     Republic of China on Taiwan was rightful strengthened. The 
     fact that the government of the Republic of China is fully 
     exercising her sovereignty and jurisdiction over the area 
     of Taiwan island has become absolutely indisputable in 
     whatever de jure sense.
       President Lee Teng-Huei has rapidly transformed Taiwan's 
     old single-party government into a working democracy. He has 
     successfully orchestrated a quiet revolution, bringing new 
     freedoms to his people. This transformation was achieved in 
     quiet manner. There have been no class confrontations, no 
     military coup and no political suppression in Taiwan. The 
     process of reform in Taiwan was unique and unprecedented.
       Taiwan now has a multi-party system and has realized the 
     ideal of popularly-elected government. We have a total 
     respect for individual freedom and this is clearly the most 
     free and liberal era in Chinese history. Free speech is fully 
     protected; all types of government controls over society have 
     been relaxed or eliminated. We are now an open, pluralistic 
     and free society. Our government has taken upon itself to 
     defend and protect the fundamental human rights of every 
     citizen. But unfortunately, many countries in the world still 
     indulge themselves in the lie brazenly told by the PRC that 
     the government of the Republic of China does not exist.
       Despite our economic strength and political liberalization, 
     we have formal diplomatic ties with only 30 nations in the 
     world, even though we enjoy substantive relations with all 
     major countries. We feel hurt and neglected, because we have 
     not been accorded proper recognition by the world community. 
     Since the late 80's we have been pragmatic in our foreign 
     relations. We try to hold on to our friend and seek new 
     friends and new ``connections'' whenever possible. So far 
     this new pragmatism has served us well. I have to emphasize 
     here that this new approach on our foreign relations has 
     nothing to do with the so-called ``Independence of Taiwan''. 
     Taiwan is the name of an area or the name of a province where 
     the government of the Republic of China is situated. Taiwan 
     is not a name of a nation, nor the name of my government. 
     It's simply a geographical term. Since on the island of 
     Taiwan or in the area of Taiwan, there has long been a 
     sovereign government called the Republic of China, there is 
     absolutely no sense for us to try to create another state on 
     Taiwan. What we have been seeking for in the international 
     community is a better recognition of the government of the 
     Republic of China which she deserves to have.
       It is true that the People's Republic of China maintains 
     that there is one China, and so do we. Yet we have different 
     interpretation of the ``One China''. Our position is rather 
     simple that the One China was divided in 1949, which remains 
     divided now. The international community should recognize the 
     fact of a divided China and treat the ROC government as a 
     sovereignty with effective jurisdiction over Taiwan and 
     the offshore islands under its control. The spirit of our 
     diplomacy of pragmatism is based on the acceptance of the 
     fact that PRC is the political entity which has firm and 
     effective control of the Chinese mainland area, and at the 
     same time Taiwan area is under the tight control and legal 
     jurisdiction of my government. We will not compete with 
     the PRC on the ``representation right'' issue. On 
     international relations, they may well represent the 
     mainland, and we represent Taiwan area. Hence, one China 
     with two separate political entities is a reality no one 
     can deny and a fact that the world must deal with 
     realistically.
       Just as East and West Germany enjoyed simultaneously 
     membership in the United Nations before their reunification, 
     Republic of China should be allowed to participate in the 
     world organizations with the PRC. A membership for Taiwan 
     would definitely bring about more peaceful contacts between 
     Taiwan and the mainland and further help pave the way for the 
     reunification of a ``One China''. In short, like Korea, PRC 
     and ROC on Taiwan deserve recognition. While developing our 
     relations abroad, we hold no hostility with PRC at all, any 
     move in expanding our breathing space in the world community 
     is not aiming at mainland China at all. We simply want to be 
     treated as what we are. We want to be treated no more than 
     what we deserve to have.
       Mr. Chairman, as the Republic of China's foreign minister, 
     I would like to stress and also clarify a few points, which 
     might be of interest to you and to your colleagues:
       1. Both the Republic of China on Taiwan and the People's 
     Republic of China on mainland believe in One China. The 
     government of the Republic of China, and the political party 
     in power, KMT, repudiates Taiwan independence.
       2. One China does not mean the People's Republic of China. 
     Beijing argues that ``there is only one China and only the 
     PRC has sovereignty rule over China; therefore Taiwan is part 
     of PRC.'' We believe that PRC leaders represent a political 
     authority, not single China. Communist China does not equate 
     to the China. China is still now divided and governed by two 
     separate governments; the PRC and the ROC, each having its 
     own jurisdiction and sovereignty over its own areas.
       3. Beijing should openly renounce the use of force against 
     Taiwan and resume talks and dialogues with us, Beijing must 
     give peace a chance. All issues can be discussed. President 
     Lee has indicated his willingness to travel to Beijing or 
     anywhere else to hold talks with Communist leaders.
       4. Both Chinese societies can benefit from more direct 
     economic, social and cultural exchanges. In fact our 
     investments in the

[[Page E1206]]

     mainland in the last ten years have amounted to more than $25 
     billion. Our investments have enabled the mainland to 
     build foreign exchange reserves and created jobs. Influx 
     of our capital has improved living standards and relieved 
     poverty and backwardness among the mainland Chinese 
     population.
       5. Beijing should accept us as an equal partner. We seek to 
     have better relations with the mainland. We do not want to 
     see Chinese fighting Chinese, not in Taiwan Strait, nor on 
     international arena, but rather Chinese helping Chinese. Our 
     compatriots on the mainland and we share a common ethnic 
     bond.
       6. In Taiwan there is no support for a reckless or 
     precipitate reunification with the mainland at the moment, 
     certainly not under the terms or formula set forth by the 
     PRC, such as the so-called ``One State, Two Systems'' 
     Formula, which definitely is inapplicable and unacceptable to 
     ROC on Taiwan.
       7. We will continue our ``pragmatic diplomacy'' which means 
     that we will seek friends and allies everywhere and want the 
     world to know that we exist. We will seek to expand our trade 
     and cultural offices in over 150 countries and regions, in 
     addition to the 30 nations that have formal ties with us. We 
     will also seek to join international organizations, including 
     the UN, and her peripheral organizations, because we have so 
     much to contribute to the world.
       8. Our ultimate goal is for the world to recognize us as a 
     full member of the international community. We are well aware 
     how important and difficult the process of reintegration into 
     the international community will be for Taiwan. However, we 
     have the resources and commitment that will allow us to make 
     our positive contribution to peace, prosperity and good will 
     in the world.
       9. We will take full responsibility for our own destiny, 
     but we believe that as an economically prosperous and 
     democratically free nation seeking its proper place in the 
     world, we can expect the nations of the world, particularly 
     the European nations to assist us in this task.
       10. We are prepared, too, to shoulder our share of 
     responsibility for helping and assisting other nations, 
     including mainland China, not in the spirit of paternalism or 
     dominance but mutual cooperation and respect.
       Looking forward towards the 21st century, I foresee a 
     vibrant Republic of China actively promoting economic and 
     trade cooperation with all regions around the world, but with 
     emphasis on two areas--members of the Association of 
     Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and the mainland China. This 
     type of economic and trade cooperation will strengthen the 
     regional economic infrastructure and will stimulate the flow 
     of resources throughout the region, leading to further 
     economic growth as we seek to become an Asia-Pacific regional 
     operation center by the year 2000.
       While pursuing economic growth and strength, the perfection 
     of our democratic system remains to be our most cherished and 
     most urged goal in our national policy. We firmly believe 
     that no country could ever become a truly great country until 
     it becomes fully democratic.
       Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, with your 
     understanding, sympathy and genuine support, as a democratic 
     and sovereign state, in the midst of challenges, unfair, 
     unequal treatments and tests of all kind, we, the Republic of 
     China on Taiwan, shall rise up again.
       I thank you all so much.

       

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