Taiwan, U.S. will continue to be strong allies: U.S. congressman
ROC Central News Agency
2008-01-09 19:49:06
Taipei, Jan 9. (CNA) U.S. congressmen Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) expressed Wednesday their respect for the Taiwan people's decision to determine their future and to hold referendums, but avoided voicing a specific position on the referendums scheduled to be held alongside the Jan. 12 legislative elections and the March 22 presidential election.
After meeting with President Chen Shui-bian and Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang, the two congressmen, in a brief interview with local media, also showed full confidence in Taiwan-U.S. relations.
A U.N.-bid referendum proposed by the government has caused uncertainty in Taiwan-U.S. relations, as high-level U.S. officials have several times expressed open opposition to the proposal.
Asked about his opinion on the referendum, Chabot affirmed that a referendum is a way for people to express themselves on important issues, but he added that the decision on whether or not to hold it remains up to the Taiwanese people.
They both stressed that the purpose of their visit is to listen to the voices of the Taiwan people, not to offer their opinions on the referendum issue.
As to the possible impact of the 2008 U.S. presidential election on the future of relations between Taiwan and the United States, Chabot said that no matter "whether a Democrat or a Republican sits in the White House, or which party controls Congress, I believe that relations between the U.S. and Taiwan are so strong that it won't really matter which party is in control."
Ortiz and Chabot, who is also co-chairman of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, are staunch supporters of Taiwan in the U.S. Congress. They are scheduled to leave Taiwan Jan. 11.
(By Emmanuelle Tzeng)
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