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Visiting U.S. congressman gives assurances on Taiwan-U.S. relations

ROC Central News Agency

2008-01-09 18:44:15

    Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) A visiting U.S. congressman said Wednesday that the friendship between Taiwan and the United States "will remain solid" no matter which candidate is elected as the next U.S. president.

    Steve Chabot, a Republican representative from Ohio and the co-chairman of the House Congressional Taiwan Caucus, made the remarks after meeting with President Chen Shui-bian and Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang earlier in the day along with Solomon Ortiz, a Democratic congressman from Texas.

    Chabot also told reporters that Taiwan's future lies in the hands of the Taiwan people, instead of China or the United States.

    He went on to point out that referendum is a means of allowing the public to make decisions for their country without interference from other countries and that the Taiwan people's voices should be heard by the rest of the world. Chabot was referring to Taiwan's planned U.N. bid referendum.

    Agreeing with Ortiz' recognition of Taiwan's democratic system, Chabot said Taiwan's democracy "could be a learning model for China."

    Chabot, who arrived in Taiwan the previous day, is scheduled to meet the presidential candidates of both the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) , according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official.

    Ortiz, who arrived Jan. 5, will also meet with DPP and KMT presidential candidates, and visit a naval base in southern Taiwan, the Southern Taiwan Science Park and Kaohsiung Port, to acquire a first-hand understanding of Taiwan's infrastructure and the operation of its high-tech industry, the official said.

    Meanwhile, the official said Sen. Tom Coburn, a Republican from Oklahoma, was scheduled to arrive in Taiwan later in the day. During his stay, Coburn will visit Vice Premier Chiou I-jen and Minister of National Defense Lee Tie n-yu to exchange views on issues regarding political and economic development, the cross-Taiwan Strait situation and national defense.

(By Ruth Wang)

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