[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 11 (Friday, January 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TAIWAN PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI BIAN'S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

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                        HON. THOMAS G. TANCREDO

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 19, 2007

  Mr. TANCREDO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud our government's 
decision to allow Taiwan President Chen Shui Bian to visit the United 
States earlier this month. As you know, President Chen visited both Los 
Angeles and San Francisco as part of a larger North American trip.
  Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, the government of Mexico was not nearly 
as hospitable to our democratically elected friend.
  While President Chen was on his way to Los Angeles, however, he was 
informed by Mexican authorities that his plane was prohibited from 
flying over Mexican air space. This unexpected notification forced the 
President's plane to make a detour over the Pacific Ocean, extending 
his flight time to Los Angeles from 5 to 10 hours. This arbitrary 
decision delayed some of President Chen's meetings with U.S. officials, 
and more importantly, put President Chen and the other passengers on 
his plane in danger.
  Mexico had given Chen permission to fly over Mexican air space on 
Chen's way to Nicaragua, so why did Mexican officials refuse to grant 
Taiwan's democratically elected President the same courtesy on his 
return flight? I think we all know the answer to this question, Madam 
Speaker.
  In all likelihood, Mexico's sudden change of heart is attributable to 
pressure exerted by the People's Republic of China. Beijing has been 
relentless in its efforts to isolate our democratic friends on Taiwan, 
and this shameless move by the mainland is just the latest in a long 
series of indignities that the Beijing authorities have visited on the 
Taiwanese people.
  Madam Speaker, communist China is always quick to talk about how much 
they respect the ``Taiwan Compatriots'' across the Taiwan Strait. 
Unfortunately, their hostile actions never reflect that deceptively 
rosy rhetoric. By continuing to insult and disrespect Taiwan's 
democratic government, China insults and disrespects the people of 
Taiwan who elected that government.
  By outsourcing their campaign of intimidation to other countries like 
Mexico--who seem more than willing to subcontract their foreign policy 
to Beijing--China continues to drive the people of Taiwan further and 
further away.
  I hope that the next time Taiwan's democratically elected president 
visits the United States; we can host him here in Washington.
  And finally, Madam Speaker, I hope next time Taiwan's democratically 
elected president visits North America, that other democratic countries 
in our region will treat him with the courtesy and respect they would 
afford to any other democratically elected head of state.

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