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CURRENT CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS –
(Extensions of Remarks -
February 08, 2006)
[Page: E115]
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SPEECH OF
HON. SCOTT GARRETT
OF NEW JERSEY
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2006
- Mr.
GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, last spring, China
passed the anti-secession law to give Chinese leaders the
right to use force against Taiwan if they suspect separatist
activities in Taiwan. The deployment of more than 700
missiles along the southeast coast indicates that China
still stubbornly clings to a military solution to the Taiwan
issue. Mr. Speaker, military intimidation over Taiwan is no
solution to the cross-strait relations.
- China must
learn to respect the aspirations of Taiwan's 23 million
people who want to be masters of their own land. China must
not block Taiwan's attempts to gain international
recognition or to return to international organizations.
Taiwan is a free and democratic nation and deserves to be
treated with respect by the international community.
- Recently,
President Chen proposed to prudently think over abolishing
all ad hoc institutions under the Office of the President
that were not established by law. One of those programs, the
National Unification Commission (NUC), has long had its
effectiveness in question and he doesn't want to see
unification become the only option for the cross-straits
relations.
- President
Chen is a man of peace who has reaffirmed his commitment to
maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait on many
occasions. His goal of reducing tension between Taiwan and
China remains unchanged. It is my hope that China will
reciprocate Chen's olive branch by renouncing the use of
force against Taiwan and resuming dialogue on equal footing
and without pre-conditions.
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