[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12080]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                AMBASSADOR C.J. CHEN'S RETURN TO TAIWAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 14, 2004

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
honor Ambassador C.J. Chen of the Republic of China. He is returning to 
Taiwan after serving as his country's chief representative in the 
United States for the last 4 years.
  Ambassador Chen's record of distinguished public service to his 
nation spans more than 30 years.
  The Republic of China has been one of our most important and loyal 
allies in the world.
  Ambassador Chen has worked hard during the last 30 years to 
strengthen the political, economic and cultural ties that bind our two 
nations despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations between us and 
Taiwan.
  Today Taiwan and the United States are friends, partners and allies.
  Ambassador Chen began his first tour of duty in Washington, DC as a 
third secretary in the ROC Embassy in 1971. From 1980 to 1982, he was 
the director-general of the Department of North American Affairs, 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei. In 1983, he began a 7-year stint 
as deputy representative at the Coordination Council for North American 
Affairs, Taiwan's ``diplomatic'' mission in Washington. In the 1990's 
he was deputy foreign minister and later foreign minister of the 
Republic of China.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sorry that Ambassador Chen and his beautiful wife, 
Yolanda Ho, are leaving Washington to return to Taiwan.
  During the last 4 years, Ambassador Chen and Yolanda have brought 
Taiwan closer to Washington, being gracious hosts at countless social 
events at Twin Oaks, a historic landmark which has made a lasting 
contribution to the maintenance of the traditional friendship between 
Taiwan and the United States and to the promotion of cultural ties 
between Taiwan and the U.S.
  We are grateful for the time Ambassador Chen and Yolanda could spend 
here, but we look forward to seeing them again.
  And we know both the Ambassador and Yolanda will continue to make 
contributions to the betterment of relations between Taiwan and the 
U.S.
  They will be in the forefront of the continuing political and 
economic development of Taiwan, just as they have been here for the 
last 30 years.

                          ____________________