For Immediate Release                                                               March 8, 2004

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES STRONGLY ENDORSE MARCH 20 REFERENDUM IN TAIWAN

In statements issued over the past two weeks, several members of the United States House of Representatives have issued strong endorsements of a Taiwan referendum to be held on March 20.

Members that issued statements are: Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), and Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI).

Rep. Andrews states: "I rise today in strong support of the Taiwanese government's decision to hold a referendum on March 20, 2004, thus allowing their citizens to exhibit a true expression of democracy. It is clearly in the best interests of the United States to promote the spread of democracy, and to defend democracy wherever it exists, and I therefore urge my colleagues as well as the current Administration to support Taiwan's right to hold this referendum free from intimidation or threat of force from any nation."

Andrews continues: "The people of Taiwan, and not the Government of the People's Republic of China, should have the sole right and responsibility for determining the future of Taiwan. Within this right of self-determination for the Taiwanese people lies the undeniable right of the Taiwanese government to hold referenda votes, when necessary, to assist the government in making key decisions that will effect the lives of their constituency."

"It is the right of the Taiwanese people to be the sovereign rulers of their fate. I urge my colleagues and the administration to support this right as well as the growth of democracy in Taiwan."

Rep. Sessions says: "Taiwan has no intention to provoke China into conflict. It merely aims to avoid war and free its people from the fear that they now face on a daily basis."

Rep. Hinchey adds: "The upcoming referendum will allow its people to freely express their views, which is a fundamental human right guaranteed by international law."

Senator Russ Feingold states: "On February 11, 2004, Chinese officials stated the referendum would "provoke confrontation. Threats of violence by the People's Republic of China only undermine efforts to resolve longstanding China-Taiwan tensions. In the midst of this bellicose rhetoric, I express my support for the people of Taiwan and to compliment the Taiwanese people and their leadership for the great strides they have made in strengthening their democracy."

FAPA President Ming-chi Wu states: "FAPA has started a mass grassroots campaign to recruit support from Members of Congress for the Taiwan referendum. We have urged all our members to continue visiting their Members of Congress, and urging them to issue statements to support Taiwan's first ever referendum."

【FAPA 新聞稿】                                                                                           【2004年3月8日】    Contact: Iris Ho at 202-547-3686

自今年一、二月份以來，多位國會議員，如參議院台灣連線共同主席艾倫參議員(George Allen, R-VA)、或是有意角逐賓州參議員席次的眾議員霍佛(Joseph Hoeffel, D-PA)、德州的貝爾議員(Chris Bell, D-TX)等等，紛紛在發表聲明，支持台灣三月份公民投票的舉行。近幾個星期以來，陸續也有多位議員跟進，公開聲援台灣的公民投票。以下為數位議員聲明的精華摘要。

才於2月26日在傳統基金會呼籲美國政府揚棄過時的「一中政策」的眾議員安德魯斯(Robert Andrews, D-NJ)，也於3月2日發表聲明。他表示：「台灣人民，而不是中國政府，才有絕對、唯一的權利與責任來決定台灣的前途。在這個台灣人民享有人民自決權前提之下，台灣政府有著不容被否認的權利，來舉行公民投票；尤其是在必要時刻，（以公投方式）來協助政府做出足以影響其民眾之重大決策。」安德魯斯議員接著表示：「台灣人民有權利掌握自己的主權。我呼籲我的同僚以及行政部門來支持這樣的權利與支持台灣的民主進展。」

來自德州的夏森(Pete Sessions, R-TX)眾議員在聲明中表示：「台灣並沒有意願要挑釁中國。它(台灣)僅僅是要防止戰爭的發生，以及使其人民免於活在他們現在每天面對的恐懼當中。」

紐約州的殷奇(Maurice Hinchey, D-NY)眾議員則表示：「即將舉行的公民投票將讓台灣人民能自由地表達他們的想法，這是受到國際法保障下的基本人權之一。」

參議員梵恩古(Russ Feingold, R-WI)表示：「中國官員在2月11日時曾表示公民投票將引發衝突。中國的武力威脅只會削弱化解台海緊張局勢的努力。在這一連串文攻武嚇期間，我要表達我對台灣人民的支持以及讚賞台灣人民及其領導政府，為深化他們民主制度下所展現出來的進步。」

FAPA會長吳明基表示：「目前FAPA正在全美展開大規模的草根宣導活動，我們已經呼籲各地分會繼續拜訪其選區內的議員們，促請他們追隨前述議員們的腳步，在3月20日前，公開發表聲明，支持台灣的首次公民投票！」