[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20676]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            IN HONOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA'S NATIONAL DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETE SESSIONS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 4, 2004

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor one of the United States' 
most reliable allies, the Republic of China, on the occasion of its 
National Day, October 10. That great nation, better known as Taiwan, 
has served as a mirror on our times, reflecting the agonies and dreams 
of the 20th Century and the soaring aspirations of the new century. The 
ROC was born of the tragedy of Communist betrayal, reared in the 
tension of the cold war, and reached maturity during the information 
age.
  The ROC was the first casualty of Imperial Japanese aggression and 
our staunch ally in the fight to free the Pacific of that tyranny. In 
1949, Chinese Communists seized power on the mainland and the central 
government of the Republic of China relocated to Taiwan. Since that 
time, we have rightfully considered Taiwan's security of vital interest 
to the United States. In 1950, President Truman ordered the Seventh 
Fleet to protect Taiwan from attack by the Chinese Communists and we 
have maintained a presence in the area ever since. Moreover, the 
Congress has consistently expressed its support of the ROC since the 
passage of Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.
  Mr. Speaker, Taiwan has developed into a premier Asian democracy, 
having peacefully evolved from one party rule to the vibrant home of 
multi-party elections.
  Taiwan's political development has been complemented by its economic 
rise as one of Asia's ``Four Tigers,'' along with Hong Kong, Singapore, 
and South Korea. Since 1949, the ROC's economy has moved from a leader 
in agricultural exports, to a major manufacturer of small electronics 
and consumer goods, to today's premier Asian producer of capital- and 
technology-intensive commodities, such as personal computers and 
machinery. Because its economy has achieved such rapid growth, Taiwan 
boasts one of the world's highest standards of living, with only 1 
percent of its population below the poverty line in 2000. Today, the 
ROC is an irreplaceable part of the world economy and vital to 
continued growth here in the U.S.
  I know that my colleagues will join me in wishing Taiwan's President 
Chen Shuibian, its Representative here in the U.S., Dr. David Tawei Lee 
and the 23 million people of Taiwan a most happy National Day and 
continued peace and prosperity.

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