For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 20, 2002
Contact: (202) 547-3686
CTC Co-Chairs To Chen Shui-Bian – “Unbreakable Bond Between Our Two Peoples”
In a May 17, congratulatory letter to President Chen Shui-bian on the occasion of the second anniversary of his inauguration, Congressional Taiwan Caucus co-chairs, Reps. Robert Wexler (D-FL), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), noted the “unbreakable bond between our two peoples” and pledged “a renewed effort to support Taiwan’s bid to obtain observer status at the World Health Organization, upgrading overall trade relations, the continuation of high-level meetings between American and Taiwanese cabinet members and a concerted effort to reinvigorate cross-strait talks to help preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
The CTC co-chairs praised Chen’s “commitment to the political and economic success of the people of Taiwan,” called for an “upgrading and expanding of our trade and economic relationship,” and said they “fully support” Chen’s “recent decision to improve cross-strait relations.”
The co-chairs also stated that “although we are working to promote peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, U.S. policy must state, in no uncertain terms, that the future of Taiwan must be resolved peacefully with the express consent of the people of Taiwan and free from outside threats, intimidation, or interference.”
FAPA President Wu Ming-chi states: The purpose of the establishment of the CTC is to enhance the relationship between Taiwan and the US. The CTC has been crucial in working on issues such as WHO membership for Taiwan and hi-level visits. But most importantly, the CTC supports the notion that the future of Taiwan should have the express consent of the people of Taiwan – an issue that FAPA has been advocating for the past 20 years. Overall, looking at what the Caucus has done just in six weeks, we have high expectations on the role the Caucus will play in US-Taiwan relations.
美國國會台灣連線賀陳水扁總統就職二週年: 強調兩國人民不可分割的情誼，支持台海問題和平解決以及獲得台灣人民同意
美國國會台灣連線四位聯合主席，於17日致函陳水扁總統，在520前夕恭賀陳水扁總統就職二週年。信中除了讚揚台灣傲人的民主及經濟成就，重申美國國會對台灣的支持，並讚許陳總統處理兩岸關係的態度，以及支持台灣前途最終需獲得台灣人民的同意。
此封信由台灣連線四位主席聯署，信件一開始恭賀陳水扁總統就職二週年紀念，接著表示美國國會對於陳水扁總統堅守給予台灣人民政治及經濟成就的承諾，感到佩服。而台灣連線欣見台灣終於成功地加入世界貿易組織，因為他們相信台灣早就有資格成為世貿的一員；他們期望隨著台灣成為世貿一員，美國與其第七大貿易夥伴國的台灣，能加強兩者之間的經貿關係。
四位聯合主席接著讚許並表示全力支持陳水扁總統近來致力改善兩岸關係的善意與行動。四位聯合主席在信中歡迎陳總統率先表達重開兩岸會談意願的無畏之舉，更支持陳總統朝向實踐三通的決定。他們強調這些舉動將有助於減低台海緊張並有助於台灣與中國的合作。更重要的是，四位聯合主席接著指出，美國政策清楚地表示台灣的前途必須和平解決，在不受任何外力威脅及干擾下，獲得台灣人民的同意。
信中最後則強調台灣連線期待繼續與陳水扁總統政府合作，台灣連線成員將繼續致力於幫助台灣參與世衛組織，全面提昇經貿關係，持續兩國高層內閣官員的會面，以及實質努力為兩岸會談注入活力以促進台海的和平與穩定。
台灣人公共事務會會長(FAPA)吳明基表示：「台灣連線當初的成立就是為了加強台美兩國的實質關係，因此誠如信中所說的幾個事項，如參與世衛，台灣連線成員不僅幫助立法，於5月1日致函給副國務卿，更在日前與國務院官員會面商討往後策略；而在台美高層官員互訪方面，台灣連線早於三月底湯曜明部長訪美時，即致函布希總統要求全面解除台美高層官員互訪的限制；而此封信透露最重要的信息則是，台灣連線對於台灣前途最終須獲得台灣人民同意的支持，過去幾年來FAPA一直推動類似的決議案，預料今年在台灣連線的支持下，此議題的推動將比往年有更大的進步。」
