[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6823-6824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


  HONORING MR. MA YING-JEOU ON TAIWAN'S PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD L. HANNA

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2012

  Mr. HANNA. Mr. Speaker, as Taiwan prepares for its Presidential 
Inauguration Day on May 20, I'd like to congratulate President Ma and 
our friends in Taiwan for a smooth completion of their presidential 
election on January 14. Mr. Ma Ying-jeou won a second term as President 
of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
  President George W. Bush once famously described Taiwan as ``a beacon 
of democracy to Asia and the world.'' His words were recognition of 
Taiwan's achievements in democratic development. We trust Mr. Ma and 
his people will continue to deepen and improve Taiwan's democracy and 
instill an even stronger commitment to democratic values among Taiwan's 
people.
  The United States and Taiwan have enjoyed a strong security and 
economic partnership for over half a century. Our common interest in 
peace and security has guided U.S.-Taiwan relations and our commitment 
to Taiwan's security, as stated in the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, has 
enabled Taiwan to build a strong democratic government and today serves 
as a beacon for others in the region and beyond. Similarly, Taiwan's 
economic partnership with us has benefited both sides, resulting in 
Taiwan being our tenth largest trading partner, with total bilateral 
trade amounting to over $68 billion.

[[Page 6824]]

  During Mr. Ma's second term, I hope our relationship with Taiwan will 
continue to flourish, especially in areas like military cooperation, 
Taiwan's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program, as well as our trade 
relationship.
  Congratulations to Mr. Ma and the people of Taiwan.

                          ____________________