For Immediate release                      October 16, 2003

U.S. CONGRESS INTRODUCES RESOLUTION WELCOMING PRESIDENT CHEN

In the evening of October 15, and more than two weeks prior to Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian's arrival in the United States, the four co-chairs of the House Congressional Taiwan Caucus introduced resolution HCR302 welcoming President Chen to the United States. He is scheduled to arrive in New York in the afternoon of October 31.

The four co-chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus are Reps. Robert Wexler, Steve Chabot, Sherrod Brown and Dana Rohrabacher.

The resolution concludes: "[Congress] recognizes that the visit of Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian to the United States is a significant step towards broadening and deepening the friendship and cooperation between the United States and Taiwan."

FAPA President Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D. states: "The introduction of this resolution is more than just a routine friendly gesture to a visiting President of a fellow democracy. With the recent attention in the U.S. media surrounding President Chen and former President Lee Teng-hui blunt policy remarks, we interpret the timing of the introduction of this resolution as an endorsement of President Chen's policy statements and actions."

"In his Washington Post interview President Chen bluntly affirmed his domestic and international policy objectives. That message has been received loudly and clearly by the U.S. Administration and the U.S. Congress."