[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4983]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            HONORING TAIWAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LUKE MESSER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 10, 2013

  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the Taiwan 
Relations Act (TRA). On April 10th, the United States and the Republic 
of China, more commonly referred to as Taiwan, will celebrate the 34th 
anniversary of the TRA, which is the premier law that governs U.S.-
Taiwan bilateral relations. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed the 
TRA into law and since that time it has been the cornerstone to 
maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Western Pacific. The 
TRA has held up well for over 34 years and is an important reminder of 
the strong alliance between our two sides.
  All facets of the U.S.-Taiwan bilateral relationship--cultural, 
economic, and strategic--have expanded and grown stronger since the 
signing into law of the TRA. Taiwan is the United States' 10th largest 
trading partner. Taiwan is the seventh largest export market for U.S. 
agriculture. Since 1998, Taiwan has purchased over $5.5 billion in corn 
and $4 billion in soybeans from the United States. For my home state of 
Indiana, Taiwan is one of its top export markets in Asia. Recently, 
Taiwan signed a multi-million dollar agreement with the State of 
Indiana for the purchase of corn and soybeans for the years 2012 and 
2013. Without a doubt, Hoosier farmers and my state's economy have 
benefitted greatly from trade agreements with Taiwan.
  As a new member of the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and 
the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I have had the pleasure to meet with 
Ambassador Pu-tsung King, Taiwan's Representative serving in 
Washington, DC. We discussed the unique circumstances that define our 
two countries' relations. I look forward to working with Ambassador 
King on additional initiatives that could benefit the people of Indiana 
and Taiwan.
  I was pleased to learn from Ambassador King of the many steps Taiwan 
has taken to reduce tensions with China, their neighbors along the 
Taiwan Strait. Although Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, 
bilateral relations between the two are at an all-time high. Today, 
China is Taiwan's largest trading partner. Starting in 2008, Taiwan and 
China signed an agreement to improve direct links between the two 
countries. This agreement has been a resounding success eliminating 
barriers to air and sea travel between the two sides. As a result, 
there are about 600 direct passenger flights that operate each week 
between Taiwan and China. Cargo ships now transit directly between the 
two sides. Building upon the successes of the 2008 agreement, in 2010, 
Taiwan and China signed a landmark trade agreement called the Economic 
Cooperation Framework Agreement, which reduced tariffs and commercial 
barriers between the two sides. The people of China and Taiwan are more 
connected today than ever before.
  Like many of my colleagues in the House, I believe that a strong 
Taiwan is vital for maintaining stability in the region. Like 
Congressman Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I, 
too, support the sale of newer, diesel submarines and F-16s upgrades to 
Taiwan's government, which will serve to protect U.S. national 
interests in the region. I intend to work closely with my Congressional 
colleagues to encourage the Administration to expedite the U.S. sale of 
needed military hardware to Taiwan's government.
  Simply put, a strong, prosperous Taiwan serves both our nations' 
interests. I am certainly thankful to my predecessors who passed the 
Taiwan Relations Act, which remains the hallmark of the U.S.-Taiwan 
alliance.

                          ____________________