[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 54 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E678]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO DR. LYUSHUN SHEN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 3, 2003

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today to pay tribute 
to a great man who has dedicated much of his life to improving 
relations between Taiwan and the United States. Dr. Lyushun Shen has 
served as Deputy Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural 
Representative Office (TECRO) for the past four years and will be 
leaving Washington soon to accept a new challenge as Director General 
of TECRO in Geneva. At his new post, he will be working on, among other 
things, finally bringing Taiwan into its rightful place as a member of 
the World Health Organization, a development I strongly support.
  As the Deputy Representative of TECRO, Dr. Shen has carried out many 
responsibilities ranging from interacting with Members of Congress to 
serving as a senior liaison with the large and vibrant Taiwanese 
community in the United States. As almost all of our colleagues know, 
TECRO--Taiwan's unofficial embassy here in Washington--and its 
employees are devoted to making certain the United States and Taiwan 
work closely on matters of mutual concern and importance in the areas 
of trade, investment, commerce, culture and security.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Shen is an old Washington hand. He is presently 
serving his third tour of duty in Washington, where he previously was 
Director of TECRO's Public Affairs Division from 1994 to 1996, as well 
as a Staff Consultant for Congressional Liaison from 1982 to 1986. In 
between his postings in Washington, Dr. Shen remained focused on U.S.-
Taiwan relations. From 1996 to 1999 he was Director General, Department 
of North American Affairs at Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and 
from 1991 to 1993 he headed the Kansas City office of the Coordination 
Council for North American Affairs, TECRO's predecessor organization. 
This important position gave Dr. Shen a firsthand perspective on 
America's heartland, which oftentimes offers a different perspective 
than Washington.
  Dr. Shen's professional experience has been built on a strong 
academic foundation. Dr. Shen received both his master's degree in 
international relations and his Ph.D. from the University of 
Pennsylvania. While working in Kansas City, he was a visiting professor 
of international relations at the University of Kansas.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Shen has developed many friendships and a wealth of 
goodwill on Capitol Hill. He has served as a trusted resource of 
information regarding Taiwan and Cross Straight relations. Many fellow 
members of this body have been fortunate to have traveled to Taiwan 
with Dr. Shen.
  Mr. Speaker, I am certain that our colleagues will join me in 
extending our best wishes to my good friend Lyushun as he takes up his 
new assignment. We also hope that he will be able to make his way back 
to Washington in the future. In the meantime, we expect many great 
things from this tireless advocate for Taiwan's interests. He is indeed 
an important asset for the 22 million people on Taiwan.




                          ____________________