For Immediate Release
Washington DC – April 8, 2013
Contact: (202) 547-3686
FAPA Urges Secretary Kerry To Stand Up For Taiwan’s Interests During Beijing Visit
In a letter dated April 5, 2013, the president of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), Dr. Mark Kao, urged United States Secretary of State John Kerry to “reaffirm America’s support for freedom and democracy in Taiwan” when Kerry meets with the Chinese leadership this coming weekend.
In his letter, Dr. Kao called for U.S. support for Taiwan’s membership in international organizations such as the UN and the WHO, for the U.S. to rethink the U.S. One China policy and replace it with a U.S. “One China, One Taiwan policy,” for Secretary Kerry to impress upon the Chinese to “renounce the use of force against Taiwan in general, and to dismantle the 1,600-plus missiles it presently has deployed against Taiwan in particular.”
Dr. Kao wrote: “I urge you to remind the Chinese leadership that it is a core interest of the United States that the future of Taiwan be resolved peacefully and with the express consent of the people of Taiwan.”
He also commented: “Yes, we understand that in order to resolve many of the world’s major problems the United States needs to “engage” China. But the experience of previous US governments under Presidents Nixon, Carter, Clinton and Bush shows that all too often this was done at the expense of freedom and democracy in Taiwan.”
And “We therefore appeal to you that you insist, in your negotiations with the Chinese leaders, that China renounce the use of military force against Taiwan and that the offensive weapons directed at Taiwan be dismantled, so that the people of Taiwan can make a free and fully democratic decision on their future.”
Dr. Kao concludes: “The U.S. One China Policy is a remnant of the Cold War. It dates from the time when Taiwan was still under Martial Law and its government claimed to rule China. Today’s Taiwan is a democracy. It is therefore time that this obsolete policy be replaced by a One China, One Taiwan Policy that affirms the present-day reality that Taiwan is a free and democratic nation. With the 34th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act on April 10, 2013 imminent, I understand that the U.S. Congress will call for similar action soon as well.”
台灣人公共事務會呼籲美國國務卿凱瑞於訪中行程中捍衛台灣利益
台灣人公共事務會會長高龍榮博士於4月5日致函美國國務卿凱瑞，籲其於本週末拜會中國政府領導階層時「重申美國支持台灣民主自由的立場」。
高博士於信中呼籲美國支持台灣加入聯合國、世衛等國際組織；以「一中一台政策」取代「一中政策」，並呼籲凱瑞國務卿敦促中國「放棄武力犯台，撤除中國對台部署的一千六百餘枚飛彈。」
高博士寫道：「我強烈呼籲您提醒中國領導階層，台灣的未來由台灣人民決定，並以和平的方式處理，才符合美國的核心利益。」
高博士亦寫道：「我們了解美國必須與中國交涉，才能解決世界上許多的問題，但是過去在尼克森、卡特、柯林頓以及布希政權的經驗顯示，這些交涉往往建立於犧牲台灣的民主自由之上。」
「我們在此籲請您在與中國高層交涉時，堅持要求中國放棄武力犯台，並撤除中國對台的武器部署，以利台灣人民在未來能做出民主自由的決定。」
高博士總結道：「美國的『一中政策』是冷戰時的遺物，其時空背景為台灣的戒嚴時期，而台灣政府宣稱對中國仍有統治權的時代。今天的台灣是一個民主社會，因此現在應該確立台灣為民主國家的『一中一台政策』來取代這個不符現實環境的政策。4月10日為台灣關係法的三十四週年紀念，我相信美國國會也會採取一樣的立場及行動。」
Letter to Secretary Kerry
Mr. John F. Kerry April 5, 2013
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520Dear Mr. Secretary:
As you prepare your visit to China, I, as the president of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), appeal to you to reaffirm America’s support for freedom and democracy in Taiwan, when you meet with the Chinese leadership.
As Taiwanese Americans, we feel strongly about the preservation and advancement of democracy in Taiwan, which was achieved only two decades ago through the hard work and sacrifice of the courageous pro-democracy activists in Taiwan, with support from the overseas Taiwanese community and friends in the US Congress, such as Senators Ted Kennedy and Claiborne Pell. It is in the interest of the United States that the democracy in Taiwan continues to succeed, so that it can serve as a beacon for other countries in Asia aspiring to liberalize their political systems.
I therefore urge you to remind the Chinese leadership that it is a core interest of the United States that the future of Taiwan be resolved peacefully and with the express consent of the people of Taiwan.
As Taiwanese Americans we want our country of birth to be able to defend its sovereignty, freedom and democracy. We want the people of Taiwan to live their lives free from outside coercion and free from fear. We therefore want China to renounce the use of military force against Taiwan in general, and to dismantle the 1,600-plus missiles it presently has deployed against Taiwan in particular.
Furthermore, Taiwan wishes to be a full and equal member of the international community. Taiwan is a peace-loving nation that is willing and able to make significant contributions to multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the WHO. Recent reports about the re-emergence of the H7N9 virus in China illustrate the necessity that Taiwan be given full membership in the latter organization. Infectious diseases know no boundaries, and Taiwan’s exclusion from these important international bodies not only deprives the world of the benefit of Taiwan’s considerable expertise, but also creates a gap in the global public health system with potentially dangerous consequences.
We therefore urge you to be proactive and creative in your support for Taiwan’s democracy and security, conform with the provisions of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which is the law of the land and which, together with the 1982 “”Six Assurances”” to Taiwan, has served as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations for over 30 years.
Finally, for the past three decades, the US has clung to an outdated “”One China”” policy which has left Taiwan dangling in an increasingly isolated international position.
I therefore implore you to move towards a new US “”One China, One Taiwan”” policy which is based on our core beliefs of freedom and democracy, and which emphasizes that the Taiwanese people have the right to determine their own future.
As Taiwanese-Americans we have come to appreciate, and firmly believe in, the basic principles for which the United States stands and the values it supports. We also realize that our relatives and friends in Taiwan look to the United States for leadership and support on these issues.
Yes, we understand that in order to resolve many of the world’s major problems the United States needs to “”engage”” China. But the experience of previous US governments under Presidents Nixon, Carter, Clinton and Bush shows that all too often this was done at the expense of freedom and democracy in Taiwan.
We therefore appeal to you that you insist, in your negotiations with the Chinese leaders, that China renounce the use of military force against Taiwan and that the offensive weapons directed at Taiwan be dismantled, so that the people of Taiwan can make a free and fully democratic decision on their future.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely yours,
Mark Kao, President, Formosan
Association for Public Affairs
