[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11787-11788]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           FAREWELL SPEECH FOR TAIWANESE AMBASSADOR C.J. CHEN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 8, 2004

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, we are honored to be here today to bid 
farewell to a great statesmen and friend, Ambassador C. J. (Chinn-Jen) 
Chen. The Taiwanese government has much to be proud of from the 
Ambassador's long career of selfless service to his country. He is a 
distinguished diplomat who has served Taiwan's foreign service for 
thirty-seven years, and in many ways served all of us, and the world. 
Ambassador Chen has spent much of his career strengthening the close 
and friendly ties between Taiwan and the United States.
  He first came to Washington, D.C. in 1971 as a Third Secretary 
assigned to the Republic of China Embassy in the United States where he 
served through 1979. By then, he had been promoted to First Secretary, 
and from that position, he was able to play an important role in the 
formulation of a new framework for improved relations between the 
people's of Taiwan and the United States.
  During the 1980's and 1990's, as the Ambassador earned a series of 
promotions to posts of greater and greater responsibility--both in 
Taipei and in Washington--he continued to serve as an effective bridge 
from bringing Taiwan and the United States closer together. As Taiwan's 
Deputy Foreign Minister

[[Page 11788]]

and then Foreign Minister, he insured that his country's foreign policy 
reflected that tremendous economic progress and democratic development 
taking place on Taiwan. And, by emphasizing the common values and joint 
interests that the United States and Taiwan share, Ambassador Chen has 
fostered mutual trust and cooperation between successive 
administrations: from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush in the United 
States; and from Chiang Ching-kou to Chen Shui-bian in Taiwan.
  Over the last four years, the Ambassador has, in his capacity as 
Taiwan's chief representative in the United States, endeavored to 
further enhance the military, political, cultural and economic aspects 
of our bilateral relationship. Apart from his personal friendships with 
a number of high-ranking administration officials, he has built quite a 
following in Congress. He strongly encouraged and supported the 
establishment of the House Taiwan Caucus and the Senate Taiwan Caucus. 
Working closely with us, he has earned our respect and affection.
  Most importantly, thanks to diplomats like Ambassador Chen, Taiwan 
and the United States are truly friends and our relationship is 
stronger now than at any other time. Having visited Taiwan myself, I 
have seen how much the Ambassador's country has been able to benefit 
from better relations, and I'm sure that his work has made Taiwan a 
better place.
  Mr. Speaker, as Ambassador Chen concludes his tour of duty in 
Washington and his returning to Taipei, I bid him a fond farewell and 
wish him all the best. He has been a true friend, a man of principle 
and integrity, and we will surely miss him.

                          ____________________