[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT MA OF TAIWAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE BARTON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2009

  Mr. BARTON of Texas. Madam Speaker, on May 20th, Taiwan will 
celebrate its president's first anniversary in office. Mr. Ma Ying-jeou 
was inaugurated president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) last May. 
His inauguration marked the second peaceful transfer of power from one 
political party to another, a result of Taiwan's progress toward full 
democratization during the last two decades. Today Taiwan validates 
itself as a mature, successful democracy. We are proud of its political 
transformation and wish Taiwan well in its future.
  In addition, Taiwan is our 9th largest trading partner and imports 
from the United States in 2007 totaled over $27 billion. In recent 
years, Taiwan has been fully collaborating with us to combat global 
terrorism, as evidenced in part by its participation in the Container 
Security Initiative and its generous contribution to the Pentagon 
Memorial Fund. Under President Ma's leadership, we look forward to a 
strong and deepening of relations between Taiwan and the United States.
  In closing, we congratulate Taiwan for its participation in the World 
Health Assembly meetings this May and also Taiwan's rapid rapprochement 
with the Chinese mainland. Both sides have reached a number of 
significant agreements, thus vastly reducing tensions across the Taiwan 
Strait.
  Congratulations to the people of Taiwan on their president's first 
anniversary in office.

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