[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            NATIONAL DAY FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN

 Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, as Americans prepare to 
celebrate Columbus Day, I notice that there are other celebrations 
going on around Washington, including ``National Day'' celebrations in 
Chinatown. October 10, 1998 marks the 87th anniversary of the founding 
of modern China. This is a very special day for Chinese people around 
the world, and especially in Taiwan where October 10 is celebrated as 
National Day in the Republic of China on Taiwan.
  Dr. Sun Yat-sen is the father of modern China, and is widely regarded 
and revered both in mainland China and in Taiwan. On October 10, 1911, 
Dr. Sun's Revolutionary Alliance succeeded in putting an end to 
imperial rule in China, a date which also marked the formal planting of 
the seeds of democracy which continue to flourish in Taiwan today.
  People often speculate as to the real reasons for the ``Taiwan 
Miracle'' and how Taiwan continues to defy the odds today; how this 
island nation continues to expand economically when nations all around 
her are at an economic standstill or contracting; and they speculate as 
to how Taiwan not only survives politically, but how she has evolved 
into such a strong democracy despite the pressures by the People's 
Republic of China (PRC) to isolate her from the international 
community.
  While there is no easy answer to this question, Taiwan is a 
flourishing and successful society in every sense of the word, and is a 
source of optimism in an increasingly uncertain world. In this light, 
it gives me particularly great pleasure to wish everyone on Taiwan, and 
Chinese people around the world, a very special October 10 National 
Day. And so to all of you, congratulations.

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