[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 71 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E807-E808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING TAIWAN'S OUTGOING PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN AND VICE-PRESIDENT 
                               ANNETTE LU

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. THOMAS G. TANCREDO

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2008

  Mr. TANCREDO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Taiwan's 
outgoing President Chen Shui-Bian and Vice-President Annette Lu.
  Chen Shui-Bian and Annette Lu became Taiwan's second elected 
President and Vice-President in the year 2000. Perhaps more 
importantly, however, their election signified the first peaceful 
transfer of power from the Chinese Nationalist Party or Kuomintang--
which had imposed martial law and ruled Taiwan for over a half-century.
  In many ways, President Chen and Vice-President Lu's rise to the 
highest offices in the country is, itself, the story of Taiwan.
  President Chen and Vice-President Lu's paths crossed for the first 
time among difficult circumstances. Ms. Lu was facing sedition charges 
for her work on the staff of Formosa Magazine, which had been critical 
of the Kuomintang dictatorship. Chen Shui-Bian, a young lawyer at the 
time, was a member of her defense team.
  Ms. Lu was ultimately convicted and spent more than five years in 
prison, but the sentence failed to break her will or extinguish her 
passion for bringing democracy to Taiwan.
  Mr. Chen lost the case, but he was won over by his clients' ideals. 
The defendants and their lawyers subsequently became the core of the 
democratic opposition in Taiwan. And Mr. Chen too, would spend time in 
jail for his political beliefs.
  But the democratic movement they helped to spark would ultimately 
triumph. Martial law was lifted in 1987, and by 1996 then-President Lee 
Teng-Hui had initiated democratic reforms that allowed for the direct 
election of Taiwan's President and Vice-President.
  After the lifting of martial law in Taiwan, Mr. Chen became a member 
of the Taipei municipal council, and after the birth of multi-party

[[Page E808]]

politics and the formation of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), 
he became the capital city's first popularly elected Mayor in 1994. And 
in 2000, his election as President of Taiwan marked the first peaceful, 
democratic transfer of power in the history of either Taiwan or China.
  After her release from prison, Ms. Lu was elected to Taiwan's 
legislature and later, Magistrate of Taoyuan County--the equivalent of 
a Governor here in the United States. In 2000, she was elected as Vice-
President on the DPP ticket with President Chen.
  In the span of two decades, Mr. Chen and Ms. Lu had gone from 
political prisoners to political leaders. Ms. Lu's response to a TIME 
Magazine reporter's question shortly before she and Mr. Chen were 
inaugurated in 2000 perhaps summed up this amazing transformation best:
  The reporter asked, ``Fifteen years ago you were sitting in a jail 
cell as a political prisoner. When you take the oath of office, what 
thoughts will be going through your head?''
  She responded, ``What I'm proud of is that the same party, the KMT, 
that suppressed me 20 years ago will be transferring power to me, 
peacefully.'' -
  President Chen and Vice-President Lu spearheaded efforts to amend 
Taiwan's antiquated constitution to modernize Taiwan's fledgling 
democracy. They also conducted Taiwan's first ever citizens 
referendum--a milestone for democracy not just in Taiwan, but in all of 
Asia. Taiwan's voters rewarded the two for their diligence and 
commitment by re-electing them in 2004.
  Under their leadership, Taiwan has deepened its democratic roots, and 
has become an even brighter beacon of democracy than when they first 
took office eight years ago. I hope that very soon, Madam Speaker, the 
people on the Chinese mainland will see that light, and emulate in that 
country what the Taiwanese have accomplished in their own.
  Later this month, Mr. Ma Ying Jeou and Mr. Vincent Siew will be sworn 
in as Taiwan's new President and Vice President--signifying yet another 
peaceful transfer of power from one party to another in Taiwan.
  So Madam Speaker, I rise to once again congratulate the people of 
Taiwan, and to recognize President Chen and Vice-President Lu for their 
contributions to democracy and human rights. I wish them both the best 
of luck as they leave office.

                          ____________________