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Mr. WALLOP. Mr. President, I rise today to pay respect and honor President Lee Teng-Hui of the Republic of China on Taiwan. On May 20, the Chinese people on Taiwan will be celebrating Mr. Lee's inauguration as the eighth President of the Republic. While world attention has been focused on mainland China's violent suppression of its prodemocracy movement, across the Taiwan strait, Taipei has been transforming itself step by step into a Chinese example of democracy.
Let me take a moment of the Senate's time to commend the good work of Taiwan's leadership and to comment on the importance of the United States-Republic of China relationship to their progress. The Republic of China's expansion of democratization began on December 6, 1986, when the 12 million voting-age citizens of the Republic of China for the first time in the history of Nationalist Chinese rule of the island were allowed to cast ballots for an organized political opposition, the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP]. The process continued on July 15, 1987, when the 1949-imposed martial law was lifted, and again last December 2 when, in an island-wide legislative and local elections, the opposition DPP won 35 percent of the vote. As the Wall Street Journal then commented, `Taiwan has flourished--at first economically and now, increasingly, as a democracy.'
The Republic of China's economic miracle is now well-known; the United States have played a key role in their economic and political development. There are deep personal ties between our two countries--many of the Republic of China's leaders studies in the United States, as do over 30,000 Republic of China university students today. Moreover, America is the Republic of China's largest trading partner, largest export market, and its second largest import supplier after Japan. Among Taiwan's principal American imports are agricultural products, electronics, and machinery. Finally, the
1979 Taiwan Relations Act [TRA] commits Washington to assist Taipei in maintaining its defense against possible threats from mainland China.
Although the United States-Republic of China relationship is not without problems--the difficulty of balancing America's relations with Taipei and Beijing and the Republic of China's current trade surplus with the United States--these difficulties do not diminish the very positive aspects of a continued strong and healthy bond of friendship between the United States and the Republic of China.
In the Republic of China's progress toward becoming a fully functioning democracy, President Lee's inauguration becomes another important marker. In many ways, the late President Chiang Ching-Kuo's backing of Mr. Lee further signifies the Republic of China's democratic transition. Taiwanization of the ruling Kuomintang's highest reaches was both good politics and a reflection of the irreversible and undeniable trends in Taiwan. President Lee will become the country's first President born in Taiwan.
President Lee has the overwhelming support of the people of the Republic of China. He received 96 percent of the votes from the members of the National Assembly, the Republic of China's electoral college. An independent island-wide poll immediately following the election revealed that 90 percent of the respondents would have voted the same way as their electors.
Mr. Lee's contribution to Taiwan's economic blossoming is significant. President Lee received his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Cornell University in 1968. Throughout the sixties and seventies, in various capacities at the United States-Republic of China Joint Commission on Rural Commission, he contributed a great deal to the Republic of China's agricultural development--paving the way for Taiwan's economic success. In the late seventies and early eighties, as a mayor of Taipei and later Governor of Taiwan Province, he was responsible for the construction of highways and reservoirs,
oversaw the modernization of sewage disposal, initiated agricultural reforms and improved greatly the livelihood of farmers. Mr. Lee was elected Vice President in 1984.
In the last 2 years, President Lee has proven to be a dynamic leader and political reformer. He has carried on President Chiang's democratic reforms by rejuvenating the legislature and urging a more flexible approach in dealing with political and diplomatic challenges. Flexible diplomacy--the willingness of Taipei to accept a nation's recognition of both it and Beijing--is great progress. I might add that in this morning's paper it was reported that President Lee said he would open talks on a nation-to-nation basis with Beijing. It facilitates America's task of balancing our relationship with Taipei and Beijing; and President Lee can take much of the credit. He has promoted actively an international role for his country and has facilitated travel to mainland China--trade between the Republic of China and South China, the most reform-minded and market-oriented provinces on the mainland, has expanded steadily and is estimated to exceed $3 billion annually. Under Mr. Lee's influence of the past few years, the leadership has permitted the formation of new political parties, freed the press, relaxed foreign exchange controls, allowed strikes and the formation of union, and lifted the ban on its citizens' travel to mainland China.
I myself was privileged to have been received by President Lee during my most recent visit to Taiwan. President Lee, a modest and caring man, eloquently expressed his visions for the relationship between his ccuntry and the United States. Under his leadership, I am confident that Taiwan will continue to move forward in democracy, and continue to be influenced by a successful, market-based economy.
The Chinese people on Taiwan are most fortunate to have Mr. Lee as their President for the next 6 years. With the support of his people, I am confident that President Lee will lead his country toward even greater economic prosperity and full constitutional democracy.
In honor of President Lee's inauguration on May 20, I wish to acknowledge the hard work and the open-mindedness that has characterized his career. I also wish to assure him that the relationship between our two countries is healthy and strong and that his government is well-represented by Minister Ding Mou-Shih. I also wish to join President Lee's many friends in the U.S. Congress in wishing him and his people the best of luck and good fortune in the years ahead.
Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
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Mr. PELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
END
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