[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 71 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E967]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 CELEBRATING DEMOCRACY IN TAIWAN: INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-
                                  BIEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 9, 2000

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite my colleagues to join 
me in paying tribute to the peaceful and democratic transition of 
executive power in the Republic of China on Taiwan. On May 20, 2000, 
the presidential inauguration of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 
leader Chen Shui-Bien marked the culmination of decades of political, 
social, and economic reform. Chen's ascent to power--the first 
President not a member of the long dominant Kuomintang (KMT) party--is 
only the latest illustration of the democratic culture that 
characterizes Taiwan in the twenty-first century.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, Taiwan reflects the principles envisioned by Dr. 
Sun Yat-sen when he led the successful movement to overthrow the 
Chinese emperor and the undemocratic imperial system nearly ninety 
years ago. While the times after Dr. Sun's victory initially were 
tumultuous--civil wars, World War II, the establishment of the People's 
Republic of China, and the establishment of the Republic of China on 
Taiwan--they strengthened the Taiwanese people and forced them to 
overcome obstacles that stood in the way of their freedom and 
prosperity. By the 1970's, Taiwan had become a thriving marketplace of 
industry, ideas, and culture. It exported products to all corners of 
the globe and won the respect of the largest and most vibrant free 
market economies.
  In recent years, economic justice has been mirrored by the 
flourishing of social justice, human rights, and democracy. During the 
1980's Taiwan's leaders lifted restrictions on freedom of expression 
and freedom of the press. As these constraints were eased, the openness 
of political debate grew exponentially. Competitive local and regional 
elections were first held in 1980, followed by the development of 
opposition parties and Taiwan's first competitive presidential election 
in 1996. The victor of that campaign, President Lee Teng-hui, received 
a mandate to continue his principled efforts to liberalize Taiwanese 
society.
  Mr. Speaker, these progressive reforms seem likely to thrive under 
the leadership of President Chen Shui-Bien. The son of a farm laborer, 
he excelled in his studies and became a prominent defense attorney. 
During the early 1980's, Chen began providing legal assistance to 
opposition leaders, and this eventually led him to enter politics in a 
more active capacity. This was not a simple calling during the pre-
reform years. Chen, the editor of a dissident magazine, Formosa, served 
time in jail on a trumped up libel charge brought by a government 
politician. He persisted, however, and he eventually served as a DPP 
member in the Legislative Yuan and later as the mayor of the capital 
city of Taipei. His success in the latter role prompted Time Magazine 
to name him as one of the 100 most promising young leaders of the 21st 
century.
  President Chen's inaugural address offered more evidence of his 
commitment to freedom and political openness. He proclaimed his 
devotion to human rights with a passion that demands respect: ``We are 
also willing to promise a more active contribution in safeguarding 
international human rights. The Republic of China cannot and will not 
remain outside global human rights trends. We will abide by the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention for 
Civil and Political Rights, and the Vienna Declaration and Program of 
Action. We will bring the Republic of China back into the international 
human rights system. . . .We hope to set up an independent national 
human rights commission in Taiwan, thereby realizing an action long 
advocated by the United Nations. We will also invite two outstanding 
non-governmental organizations, the International Commission of Jurists 
and Amnesty International, to assist us in our measures to protect 
human rights and make the Republic of China into a new indicator for 
human rights in the 21st Century.''
  Mr. Speaker, as the founder and co-chairman of the Congressional 
Human Rights Caucus, I applaud President Chen's determination to stand 
up for justice and civil liberties.
  I am also confident, Mr. Speaker, that Taiwan under the leadership of 
President Chen Shui-Bien will continue to work for peace with the 
Mainland in the years to come. Chen has pledged to continue 
negotiations with China and increase economic and social cooperation 
across the Taiwan Straits. He realizes that understanding--not violence 
and conflict--offers the promise of ending the tension between Taiwan 
and the People's Republic of China. As Chen explained to an Asian Wall 
Street Journal reporter last April, ``Pursuing lasting peace in the 
region is not only our highest goal, it is also the moral 
responsibility of the leadership.''
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in offering wholehearted 
congratulations to President Chen and Vice President Annette Lu on 
their inaugurations, and in commending the people of Taiwan for their 
commitment to peace, democracy, and human rights.

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