[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 128 (Friday, October 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING NATIONAL DAY FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 2000

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, Tuesday, October 10th, marked the National 
Day in the Republic of China on Taiwan. The so-called ``Double 10''--
the tenth day of the tenth month--commemorates the founding of the 
Republic of China on October 10, 1911.
  This ``Double 10'' observance in Taiwan this year is cause for both 
celebration and sobriety. The reason for celebration is obvious. As 
every Member knows, Taiwan once again conducted a national election, 
this past March. Chen Shui-bian, the former mayor of Taipei and a 
veteran of the pro-democracy campaign in the 1980's, was elected 
president.
  As the reins of government were transferred from one party to 
another, the final phase of Taiwan's democratic transformation was 
completed. And a remarkable transformation it has been over the past 
decade--a renegotiation of the ``social contract'' that was conducted 
without the kinds of chaos and confrontation that have attended such 
sweeping political changes in some other countries.
  There are many heroes in the democratization of Taiwan. President 
Chen, for one; and, his predecessor in the presidential office, Lee 
Teng-hui, for another. The 22 million people of Taiwan, who have taken 
so readily to democracy and have participated so enthusiastically in 
the whole electoral process, are also heroes.
  So on the occasion of this year's ``Double 10,'' all of Taiwan and 
its many American friends can join in a celebration of democracy and in 
a renewed commitment to the principles of a free society and a free 
market economy that have proved so successful in Taiwan, the United 
States, and many other countries.
  But, Mr. Speaker, this is also a time for sobriety. The past seven-
and-a-half years have witnessed a fundamental shift in U.S. policy 
toward Asia. Without the benefit of a thorough strategic analysis or an 
informed national debate, there has been a concerted attempt to 
redirect U.S. policy into a China-centric focus at the expense of our 
other traditional allies.
  The perception in international circles that Taiwan has been 
stigmatized as the ``problem'' in U.S./China relations was most 
dramatically reinforced during President Clinton's trip in July 1998 to 
the People's Republic of China, during which he implicitly endorsed the 
P.R.C.'s interpretation of the ``One China'' doctrine.
  Concurrent with the ill wind from Washington has been the rapid and 
provocative buildup of forces in the P.R.C.'s People's Liberation Army. 
A member of Representative Rohrabacher's staff, Al Santoli, traveled to 
the region during August and filed a report that was published by the 
American Foreign Policy Council. Among Mr. Santoli's key findings:

       The PLA's modernization and joint war fighting capabilities 
     are developing at a rate far more rapidly than the Pentagon's 
     previous predictions. The Nanjing Region exercises have 
     showcased the PLA's new high-tech capabilities, based on U.S. 
     military tactics with information technology and weapons 
     systems purchased or stolen from the U.S., Russia, and 
     Israel.
       During ongoing large-scale military exercises, China has 
     demonstrated significant new joint-service war fighting 
     skills ``under high-tech conditions'' that are steadily 
     altering the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait . . . The 
     PLA's doctrine of ``asymmetrical'' warfare emphasizes 
     paralyzing the high-tech strength of the U.S. and our allies, 
     through attacks on military, economic, and governmental 
     computerized information systems.

  Mr. Speaker, there is much more that could be said. I will leave it 
simply at this: No one can predict with certainty when the hour of 
maximum danger will come, but it is entirely possible--if present 
trends are permitted to continue much longer--that the candidate we 
elect as President next month will be the man who will eventually be 
confronted with a choice between defending Taiwan and its democracy or 
appeasing Beijing and thereby sacrificing U.S. strategic interests in 
Asia for generations to come.
  So during this year's observance of ``Double 10,'' let us celebrate 
what has been achieved in Taiwan--the victory of democracy and the 
blessings of a free society. Let us also be resolved to do whatever is 
necessary to protect Taiwan and to preserve its way of life. In 
standing by Taiwan, we are also standing up for ourselves.

                          ____________________