Voice of America 4/2/97
GINGRICH / TAIWAN
BYLINE=JAMES MITCHELL
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES -- NEWT GINGRICH -- HAS COMPLETED A BRIEF STOP IN TAIWAN WHERE HE MET PRESIDENT LEE DENG HUI AND REASSURED TAIWAN OF AMERICAN SUPPORT. JAMES MITCHELL REPORTS FROM TAIPEI.
TEXT: ALTHOUGH THE SPEAKER'S COMMENTS WERE EXPECTED AFTER HIS VISIT TO BEIJING, ANALYSTS IN TAIPEI SAY THE MERE FACT OF HIS VISIT HAS TREMENDOUS SYMBOLIC VALUE.
WHEN THE AIR FORCE 707 LANDED IN TAIWAN WITH HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH AND 11 OTHER CONGRESSMEN, TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOHN ZHANG WENT OUT ON THE TARMAC TO GREET THEM WITH OPEN ARMS.
TAIWAN LEADERS SEE THE VISIT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW RIVAL CHINA, AND THE REST OF THE WORLD, THAT ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES IS ON SOLID GROUND.
MR. GINGRICH DID NOT DISAPPOINT THEM. FOLLOWING A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT LEE DENG HUI AT HIS OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN TAIPEI -- IT LASTED WELL OVER AN HOUR -- THE HOUSE SPEAKER HELD A WORKING LUNCH WITH VICE PRESIDENT LIEN CHAN.
SPEAKING AT A PRE-DEPARTURE NEWS CONFERENCE, MR. GINGRICH REPEATED HIS VIEWS ON AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO THE DEFENSE OF TAIWAN.
// GINGRICH ACT //
IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE EXPLICIT -- THAT SHOULD BEIJING SEEK TO REUNIFY TAIWAN WITH THE MAINLAND BY FORCE OR INTIMIDATION, THE UNITED STATES WILL USE ALL MEANS NECESSARY TO PREVENT IT.
// END ACT //
MR. GINGRICH MADE SIMILAR STATEMENTS IN BEIJING. THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WERE HIS OWN OPINIONS AND NOT U-S POLICY.
THAT HAS NOT STOPPED HIM FROM REASSURING HIS HOSTS THAT THE UNITED STATES IS NOT ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT A RECALCITRANT CHINA, BUT COMMITTED TO DEFENDING TAIWAN. BUT THE SPEAKER ALSO HELD OUT WORDS OF HOPE, URGING BOTH SIDES OF THE TAIWAN STRAIT TO GET STALLED PEACE TALKS BACK ON TRACK.
// GINGRICH ACT 2 //
I'VE ALSO EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT, BOTH IN BEIJING AND TAIPEI, FOR THE RESUMPTION OF THE PROCESS OF CROSS-STRAIT DIALOGUE. IT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF THOSE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STRAIT TO RESUME THIS PROCESS, WHICH, ALONG WITH A WHOLE RANGE OF ENHANCED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INTERACTION, IS THE BEST AVAILABLE MECHANISM FOR ACHIEVING A LONG TERM PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THEIR DIFFERENCES.
// END ACT //
POLITICAL ANALYSTS IN TAIWAN SAY MR. GINGRICH'S STOP OVER, EVEN AS BRIEF AS IT WAS, REPRESENTS A BOOST TO TAIWAN'S ONGOING DIPLOMATIC BATTLE WITH BEIJING. AS THIRD IN LINE IN THE AMERICAN POLITICAL HIERARCHY, HE IS THE HIGHEST RANKING GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TO VISIT THE ISLAND IN ALMOST 20 YEARS. THE MERE SIGHT HERE OF A JET WITH "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" EMBLAZONED ON ITS SIDE, SAY EXPERTS, IS AMPLE PROOF THAT TAIWAN HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN BY ITS ALLIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JM/CF
02-Apr-97 7:50 AM EST (1250 UTC)
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