[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 18, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1598-E1599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WELCOMING MADAME CHEN WU SUE-JEN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 18, 2002

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing today H. Res. 533, a 
resolution welcoming Madame Chen Wu Sue-jen of Taiwan to Washington. 
Madame Chen's visit comes at an important moment in our Nation's 
relationship with Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, PRC. 
Although the United States has repeatedly asked Beijing to resolve its 
difficulties with Taiwan through peaceful means, the

[[Page E1599]]

Chinese military has placed hundreds of ballistic missiles on the coast 
of China aimed at Taiwan. To make matters worse China is building more 
and more of them. The communist authorities portray the peaceful cause 
of Taiwan independence as a terrorist movement. Nothing could be 
further from the truth. Taiwan threatens no one. On the contrary Taiwan 
has been 100 percent supportive of the war against terrorism and 
generously gave humanitarian support for the new Afghan Government. 
China on the other hand helped the Taliban build a 14,000 secure 
telephone line system.
  China has also assisted Iraq in building a fiber optic communications 
network that is used by the Iraqi military. It is clear who supports 
terrorism and who does not.
  First Lady Chen Wu will be bringing with her a strong message from 
her husband and the people of Taiwan that Taiwan's cooperation with the 
United States in the antiterrorism campaign will continue and be 
strengthened further. This is the sort of mature behavior that the 
world has come to expect from Taiwan. We hope that Beijing will soon 
follow in Taiwan's footsteps and become a truly constructive member of 
the world community. Such a change in behavior will benefit the Chinese 
and Taiwanese people and the region and the world as a whole. 
Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to vote for H. Res. 533, and welcome 
Madame Chen to the United States. I ask that the full text of H. Res. 
533 be printed at this point in the Record.

                              H. Res. 533

       Whereas Taiwan's First Lady Chen Wu Sue-jen, wife and 
     political partner to her husband President Chen Shui-bian, 
     has been unwaveringly and courageously striving for justice, 
     human rights, and democracy in Taiwan and has herself held a 
     seat in the Legislative Yuan;
       Whereas Taiwan is now a model vibrant democracy an one of 
     the top ten trading partners of the United States;
       Whereas supporting democracy, human rights, and free market 
     economies has been a longstanding policy of the United 
     States;
       Whereas the Government and people in Taiwan have 
     consistently provided tremendous support and generous 
     contributions to the United States after the terrorist 
     attacks against the United States that occurred on September 
     11, 2001;
       Whereas First Lady Chen Wu was one of the main forces 
     behind Taiwan's charity and humanitarian assistance for the 
     victims of the terrorist attacks;
       Whereas First Lady Chen Wu will visit the United States 
     beginning on September 22, 2002, and will bring with her a 
     strong message from her husband and the people of Taiwan that 
     Taiwan's cooperation with the United States in this joint 
     anti-terrorism campaign will continue and be further 
     strengthened;
       Whereas First Lady Chen Wu, on behalf of President Chen 
     Shui-bian, visited France in November 2001 to receive the 
     International Human Rights Award; and
       Whereas First Lady Chen Wu, confined to a wheelchair due to 
     a tragic traffic accident during a political campaign, is a 
     strong and effective advocate for Taiwan's physically 
     challenged citizens: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives extends its 
     warmest welcome to Taiwan's First Lady Chen Wu Sue-jen during 
     her visit to Washington, D.C., in September 2002.

     

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