[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 22038-22039]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    TAIWAN CELEBRATES THE 89TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 10, 2000

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 89th anniversary of the 
founding of the Republic of China on October 10, 1911, under the 
leadership of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. This is the day which the people of 
Taiwan celebrate as their national holiday. Mr. Speaker, I extend my 
sincerest congratulations and best wishes to the people of Taiwan on 
this special occasion.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a unique celebration of this anniversary, and 
one that reflects the great progress which the people of Taiwan have 
made in institutionalizing democratic principles and democratic 
practices. I want to

[[Page 22039]]

congratulate President Chen Shui-bian, the recently elected President 
of Taiwan. Today is especially significant because it marks the first 
national day under a President elected from the Democratic Progressive 
Party. Taiwan has done something that very few nations have been able 
to do successfully--complete the peaceful transition of power based on 
a free and democratic election.
  Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, this transition did not come at an economic 
cost--quite the contrary, Taiwan is an economic powerhouse. In just the 
first six months of this year, Taiwan's exports exceeded $74 billion, 
an increase of 21 percent. I hope other countries facing political 
issues will look at Taiwan's success in both business and politics as a 
sign that democracy does work, that democracy does not have to come at 
an unacceptable economic price.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to take a moment to extend my 
congratulations and best wishes to the new Representative from the 
Republic of China on Taiwan, Ambassador C.J. Chen. While Ambassador 
Chen is no stranger to Washington, this is the first time he has come 
here as the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative 
Office. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific of the House International Relations Committee, I look forward 
to the opportunity to continue working with Ambassador Chen in building 
an ever-stronger relationship between the United States and Taiwan.
  Mr. Speaker, on this very special holiday for the people of Taiwan, I 
invite my colleagues in the House to join me in extending our warmest 
congratulations and best wishes to the 22 million inhabitants of this 
remarkable island.

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