[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 3, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E91]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TAIWANESE REFERENDUM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT GARRETT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 3, 2004

  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker Taiwan and the United States 
have a long and fruitful relationship. Taiwan's democracy is modeled 
after ours and its economic prosperity depends much on the mutual trade 
between Taiwan and the United States. Taiwan's leaders were mostly 
educated in the United States and Taiwan has nearly 30,000 students 
studying in America colleges and their tourists' number one overseas 
destination is the United States.
  So despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations, Taiwan is a close 
ally of our government. It has supported our global war against 
terrorism and has pledged humanitarian-assistance to postwar Iraq.
  On the other hand, we have the Taiwan Relations Act, a law of the 
land which is designed to provide Taiwan with adequate weapons to 
protect itself against invasion from China. The U.S. policy on Taiwan-
China relations is to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
  Taiwan's planned March 20 referendum, contrary to what Chinese 
leaders have said about it, is designed to maintain the status quo in 
the Taiwan Strait. It is not to provoke Chinese leaders. It merely asks 
Taiwan voters whether their government should buy more anti-missile 
weapons if China refuses to withdraw its 496 missiles targeted at 
Taiwan and whether their government should open up talks with China 
about other issues.
  I feel the 23 million people of Taiwan have a right to hold such a 
referendum. We mustn't allow China to intimidate Taiwan with talks of 
overtaking Taiwan by force and other verbal threats.

                          ____________________