[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 98 (Thursday, July 15, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S8221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRUE FRIEND OF AMERICA: C.J. CHEN

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, later this month, our country will bid 
farewell to a good friend. Chen Chien-jen--known to all of us as C.J. 
Chen--first came to Washington 33 years ago and has spent over 20 years 
here working to promote a better relationship between the United States 
and Taiwan. As he retires and returns home, C.J. will leave the people 
of Taiwan a legacy of a strong relationship with the United States and 
deep support from the American people.
  C.J. has strived to represent the people of Taiwan in the foreign 
service for 37 years, 20 of which have been spent here in Washington. 
He began his exemplary service in the United States in 1971 as Third 
Secretary in the Embassy of the Republic of China, and remained in 
Washington after 1979, working with Congress to draft the critical 
Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. From 1983 to 1989, he served as deputy 
representative of the Coordination Council for North American Affairs, 
Taiwan's diplomatic mission to the United States. And for the last 4 
years, he has admirably headed the current mission, the Taipei Economic 
and Cultural Representative Office.
  C.J.'s leadership as Taiwan's chief diplomat to the United States has 
been remarkable. During his 4 years as representative, he has helped 
elevate the United States-Taiwan relationship to unprecedented 
strength. He has championed the passage of critical legislation by 
Congress, and he has worked with Congress and the White House to cement 
the United States commitment to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense. At 
the same time, he has educated his own leadership and people about the 
United States, our people, and our policies.
  But for me, and for many of us in Washington, C.J. Chen will be 
missed not only as an outstanding diplomat, but as a close personal 
friend. During his time in Washington, I have had the opportunity to 
get to know C.J. and his wife, Yolanda Ho, very well, and I will miss 
them.
  While C.J. will no longer serve his people in an official capacity, I 
know that he will continue to contribute to building United States-
Taiwan relations. I wish C.J. and Yolanda a long and happy retirement, 
and hope they will often return to visit their friends here in the 
United States.

                          ____________________