July 1, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E1455 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS ESTABLISHING PEACEFUL AND was established with Chairman Mao Tz Tung President Lee's understanding and perspec- STABLE RELATIONS ACROSS THE as its leader. Thereafter, China has been tive have provided direction to SEF's tasks. TAIWAN STRAIT ruled separately, with the Chinese com- We hope to establish a peaceful and stable munists exercising jurisdiction on the main- cross-strait relationship step by step, as fol- land; while ROC government exercising ju- lows: HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN risdiction in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and First of all, we have made all necessary OF NEW YORK Matsu. China has not been united for the preparations for the coming of Mr. Wang Dao IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES past half century, and our situation resem- han, the senior chairman of the Association bles that of North and South Korea. This is for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Wednesday, June 30, 1999 a very simple political reality, known and (ARATS). I address him as ``senior'' because Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, permit me to accepted around the world. he is eighty-three years old, and I'm a year Beijing's claim that ``there is only one younger that he is. I am expecting Mr. take this opportunity to commend the mem- China and Taiwan is part of China, and one bers of the Straits Exchange Foundation and Wang's visit as one which will renew the China means the People's Republic of channel of constructive discourse we first es- its distinguished Chairman Dr. Koo Chen-fu for China,'' or ``Taiwan is a renegade province of tablished during my trip to mainland last their great efforts toward establishing peaceful PRC'' not only deviates from reality, but October. The SEF will make arrangements and stable relations across the Taiwan Strait. completely negates the truth. It is my view for Mr. Wang's ``getting to know Taiwan'' I would like to draw the attention of my col- that China is now divided, and both Taiwan trip safe and comfortable, so the mainland's and the mainland are parts of China and the leagues to the following address given by Dr. leading persons will have a better under- two sides of the Taiwan Strait are ruled by standing and knowledge of Taiwan. And, for Koo at the Meeting of the International Press two distinct political entities, with neither the above mentioned reasons, I look forward Institute World Congress and 48th General subordinate to the other. What is important to the Taipei meeting with Mr. Wang, which Assembly on May 18, 1999 regarding future is that both sides do not exclude the possi- will be held this autumn, so we can work to- relations between Taiwan and the People's bility of future unification of China through gether to frame a peaceful and mutually ben- the process of peace and democracy, when Republic of China. I request that Dr. Koo's re- eficial relationship for both sides of the time and conditions are mature. marks as well as two reports describing Tai- strait. wan's contribution of $300 million in aid to At the current stage of development of cross-strait relations, the Straits Exchange In addition, we will try to persuade the Kosovar refugees be inserted at this point in Foundation (SEF), under the authorization Beijing authorities to reopen the institu- the RECORD: of the government, has from the very begin- tionalized consultations established during the Singapore round of the Koo-Wang talks ESTABLISHING PEACEFUL AND STABLE ning, stressed several key points. We have insisted on conditions that respect historic in April 1993. Regarding substantive issues, RELATIONS ACROSS THE TAIWAN STRAIT which most concern the rights of the people, (Dr. Koo Chen-fu, Chairman) facts and the status quo, safeguard the well- being of the people on Taiwan, and normalize such as repatriating mainland stowaways Honorable Public Opinion Leaders from cross-strait relations. For humanitarian rea- and hijackers, solving fishing disputes, and Both at Home and Abroad, Distinguished sons, the ROC government in 1987 began to dealing with illegal activities cooperatively, Guests, Ladies, and Gentleman: I feel greatly allow our people to visit relatives on the we hope that interim agreements will be honored to be invited to participate in the mainland and worked effectively to increase signed as soon as possible. These agreements annual conference of the International Press mutual understanding and exchanges be- will form a basis from which to expand step Institute held in the Republic of China. This tween the people on both sides of the Taiwan by step the content gained from future con- year marks the first occasion that the IPI Strait. solations or important issues concerning has held an annual conference of such mag- Then again in 1991, we terminated the Pe- both sides. nitude in Taipei. Your meeting here is an af- riod of National Mobilization for Suppres- I am well aware that there are people on firmation of and encouragement by the IPI sion of the Communist Rebellion, clearly the Beijing side who anxiously promote po- for the ROC government's efforts in pro- manifesting our government's sincerity not litical negotiations and dialogue between the moting freedom of press over the past two to resolve cross-strait problems by force. It two sides. In fact, just as in the Shanghai decades and for the entire press of our na- was a pragmatic move, as our government meeting last October, I would like to broad- tion, which has worked diligently to pursue took the first step and demonstrated our en the range of subjects during the talk with the consistent advancement of the news in- goodwill to acknowledge the existence of the Mr. Wang in the upcoming Taipei meeting on dustry. communist authorities. To help raise the liv- whatever issues are of concern. If the meet- I would like to take this opportunity to ing standards on the Chinese mainland and ing is restricted only to talks about issues in discuss a major issue that is currently con- develop its economy, Taiwan's business sec- a particular area, it will minimize the effect fronting our general public: the problem of tor has invested as much as US$25 billion of the agreement we may make. This will having too much information, rather than across the strait over the last ten plus years, not be beneficial for improving relations be- too little. I believe all of the people respon- creating a great number of job opportunities tween the two sides. sible for Taiwan's media and communication for the people on the mainland and contrib- The 1993 Singapore agreement was the first sectors present today are proud to have con- uting remarkably to the expeditious accu- agreement which was officially authorized tributed to this hard-to-achieve status. mulation of foreign exchange reserves for for signature by both governments and was On my way to the conference, I was won- the Chinese mainland over the recent years. approved by respective elected bodies after dering why the prestigious sponsors of the In order to show the sincerity of the ROC separation on each side of the strait. If ei- conference invited me to deliver a speech on government in promoting peaceful and sta- ther of the two parties was not willing to this occasion. Knowing that a host of promi- ble cross-strait relations, President Lee abide by the agreement, then the confidence nent personages from all sectors around the Teng-hui made a six-point proposal on nor- level for the signing of future agreements world are participating in this grand event, I malizing cross-strait relations in April 1995. will certainly be negatively affected. Over felt even more apprehensive, until I thought These points are: 1. use Chinese culture as a time, we will attain more agreements con- of a privilege I have over all of you: senior- base to strengthen exchanges between the cerning the people's rights and interests. ity. I am 82 years old and in a society, such two sides; 2. enhance economic ties and de- Thus, we can build mutual confidence as ours, that attaches great respect to elder- velop reciprocal and complementary cross- through the accumulation of interim agree- ly people, my age, I suspect, was my ticket strait relations; 3. participate in inter- ments. This method gives us the ground to attend this magnificent conference. national organizations on an equal-footing, work for a solid foundation for peaceful and The topic I will speak to you about today thus allowing meetings of leaders from the stable cross-strait relations. is unquestionably quite serious, but it is the two sides in appropriate situations; 4. assert Third, the two sides should gradually de- subject specifically requested by the spon- peaceful solutions for any disputes which velop a confidence building measure (CBM), soring unit of this conference. I promise that arise; 5. combine the efforts of both sides to in order to insure the peace of the Taiwan I will do my best to be concise and clear maintain the prosperity of Hong Kong and Strait and the security of the Asia-Pacific about a complex matter. Macau and enhance democracy in these two region. Beginning in 1991, the two sides set As you all know, the Republic of China was areas; 6. pursue future national unification up the Straits Exchange Foundation and the founded by Dr. Sun Yat-sen in 1912, after the while respecting that China is currently di- Association for Relations Across the Taiwan overthrow of the Ching imperial dynasty.