Taiwan's Second Peaceful Transfer of Power

On May 20th, the second peaceful transfer of power in history will take place on the island nation of Taiwan.

The first such transfer occurred eight years ago (in 2000) when a coalition of Taiwan's native (deriving from those living on Taiwan prior to the defeat of Japan in WWII) independence minded folk was the peoples' choice in only the second popular (i.e. democratic) election for the Executive Yuan ever held on the island nation (the first was in 1996). The 2000 election ended the 1949-1999 grip on power that the Nationalist Chinese Party (the Kuomintang - KMT) held with an iron fist through 1987 (when, due to international pressure the KMT finally lifted Marshal Law).

Four years later (in 2004), in a two way race with a razor thin margin of victory that was contested unsuccessfully (a copy cat to the Bush-Gore recount fiasco), power was peacefully retained by the Taiwanese.

The second transfer, on May 20, 2008, will return power to a new iteration of the Kuomintang. Will the new government be constrained by the Power of the People or will it return to its authoritarian past? Will it defend Taiwan's borders, language (spoken Taiwanese and Aboriginal tongues and written Traditional Chinese), and culture (that respects the contributions of Japanese, native Taiwan Aboriginals, and others) or will it deemphasize the differences between the Mainland and the Island and become permanently drawn into the Chinese orbit? Will there be "peace in our time" with the authoritarian regime in Beijing or will there be war?

We don't know, but according to two well respected conservative Congressmen, the outgoing leadership of Taiwan have much to be proud of regarding these past eight years of Taiwanese rule.

TAIWAN'S LEADERSHIP ON GLOBAL ISSUES
(Extensions of Remarks - May 01, 2008)

SPEECH OF
HON. DANA ROHRABACHER
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Madam Speaker, in the 6 1/2 years since terrorists attacked the American homeland, our government has undertaken a series of steps to prepare for, deter, and ultimately stop future attacks from occurring. In advancing these objectives, it has been essential to partner with like-minded nations to ensure security and freedom for all our citizens. In this regard, I would like to take the opportunity to express the appreciation of many in the Congress to President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan as he prepares to leave office later this month.

During President Chen's time in office, Taiwan has demonstrated time and again its commitment to global security and cooperation. Such actions have been forthcoming despite the preoccupation of an existential threat facing it from across the Taiwan Strait.

After 9/11, Taiwan immediately opened its airspace to U.S. military aircraft transiting Pacific routes to Afghanistan. It subsequently partnered with our government and others in the Container Security Initiative, which seeks to prevent illicit cargo from reaching rogue entities around the world. Furthermore, Taiwan has committed over $100 million to recovery efforts in Afghanistan, making it one of the most significant contributors to coalition efforts there.

Recognizing that global security can be advanced in a variety of ways, Taiwan has been a leader in addressing public health issues internationally. Struck by SARS in 2003, Taiwan acted swiftly to share information with other nations that helped limit its spread. Soon thereafter, Taiwan's experience in tackling avian flu was again made available to the international community in order to deter that contagion's deadly proliferation.

Beyond these multilateral efforts, Taiwan has also developed one of the most extensive bilateral development assistance programs in the world. For instance, it has established 36 long-term technical missions in 30 partner countries, focusing on capacity building, agriculture, fisheries, horticulture, livestock, handicrafts, medicine, transportation, industry, mining, electricity generation, printing, vocational training, trade and investment. Taiwan allocates approximately 100,000 tons of rice annually as humanitarian foreign aid. After the South Asia tsunami occurred in December 2004, the Taiwanese government provided $50 million in initial relief assistance, and cooperated with international non-governmental organizations in additional relief efforts. It also provided more than 355 tons of relief materials to tsunami-affected countries.

These and other measures undertaken by Taiwan over the past several years are to be commended. Under the leadership of President Chen, his government has served as a model for others seeking to play a constructive role in the international community. I encourage continued leadership by Taiwan as a new president prepares to assume office, and can assure him of America's enduring partnership in these efforts.

HONORING TAIWAN'S OUTGOING PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN AND VICE-PRESIDENT ANNETTE LU
(Extensions of Remarks - May 01, 2008)

HON. THOMAS G. TANCREDO
OF COLORADO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, May 1, 2008

Mr. TANCREDO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Taiwan's outgoing President Chen Shui-Bian and Vice-President Annette Lu.

Chen Shui-Bian and Annette Lu became Taiwan's second elected President and Vice-President in the year 2000. Perhaps more importantly, however, their election signified the first peaceful transfer of power from the Chinese Nationalist Party or Kuomintang--which had imposed martial law and ruled Taiwan for over a half-century.

In many ways, President Chen and Vice-President Lu's rise to the highest offices in the country is, itself, the story of Taiwan .

President Chen and Vice-President Lu's paths crossed for the first time among difficult circumstances. Ms. Lu was facing sedition charges for her work on the staff of Formosa Magazine, which had been critical of the Kuomintang dictatorship. Chen Shui-Bian, a young lawyer at the time, was a member of her defense team.

Ms. Lu was ultimately convicted and spent more than five years in prison, but the sentence failed to break her will or extinguish her passion for bringing democracy to Taiwan .

Mr. Chen lost the case, but he was won over by his clients' ideals. The defendants and their lawyers subsequently became the core of the democratic opposition in Taiwan . And Mr. Chen too, would spend time in jail for his political beliefs.

But the democratic movement they helped to spark would ultimately triumph. Martial law was lifted in 1987, and by 1996 then-President Lee Teng-Hui had initiated democratic reforms that allowed for the direct election of Taiwan's President and Vice-President.

After the lifting of martial law in Taiwan , Mr. Chen became a member of the Taipei municipal council, and after the birth of multi-party politics and the formation of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), he became the capital city's first popularly elected Mayor in 1994. And in 2000, his election as President of Taiwan marked the first peaceful, democratic transfer of power in the history of either Taiwan or China.

After her release from prison, Ms. Lu was elected to Taiwan's legislature and later, Magistrate of Taoyuan County--the equivalent of a Governor here in the United States. In 2000, she was elected as Vice-President on the DPP ticket with President Chen.

In the span of two decades, Mr. Chen and Ms. Lu had gone from political prisoners to political leaders. Ms. Lu's response to a TIME Magazine reporter's question shortly before she and Mr. Chen were inaugurated in 2000 perhaps summed up this amazing transformation best:

The reporter asked, ``Fifteen years ago you were sitting in a jail cell as a political prisoner. When you take the oath of office, what thoughts will be going through your head?''
She responded, ``What I'm proud of is that the same party, the KMT, that suppressed me 20 years ago will be transferring power to me, peacefully.''

President Chen and Vice-President Lu spearheaded efforts to amend Taiwan's antiquated constitution to modernize Taiwan's fledgling democracy. They also conducted Taiwan's first ever citizens referendum--a milestone for democracy not just in Taiwan , but in all of Asia. Taiwan's voters rewarded the two for their diligence and commitment by re-electing them in 2004.

Under their leadership, Taiwan has deepened its democratic roots, and has become an even brighter beacon of democracy than when they first took office eight years ago. I hope that very soon,

Madam Speaker, the people on the Chinese mainland will see that light, and emulate in that country what the Taiwanese have accomplished in their own.

Later this month, Mr. Ma Ying Jeou and Mr. Vincent Siew will be sworn in as Taiwan's new President and Vice President--signifying yet another peaceful transfer of power from one party to another in Taiwan .

So Madam Speaker, I rise to once again congratulate the people of Taiwan , and to recognize President Chen and Vice-President Lu for their contributions to democracy and human rights. I wish them both the best of luck as they leave office.