For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 9, 2003
Contact: (202) 547-3686
Taiwanese American Representative David Wu and Congressional Taiwan Caucus Chairs Call For “Frequent, Highest Level Exchanges”
In a House resolution (H.Res.228), marking the fourth annual Taiwanese American Heritage Week, Rep. David Wu (D-OR) and the co-chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus Reps. Robert Wexler, Steve Chabot, Sherrod Brown and Dana Rohrabacher “recognize the importance of Taiwanese Americans to the United States.”
The resolution notes that “Taiwanese Americans have made distinct and important contributions to the United States and the rest of the world in many fields, as evidenced most recently during the war with Iraq where Taiwanese Americans served in the U.S. Armed Forces.”
Every year, the month of May is designated as a month of national celebration and commemoration of the innumerable contributions that Asians and Pacific Islanders have made in American life. Every year, the week starting with Mothers’ Day is designated as Taiwanese-American Heritage Week. This year, Taiwanese Americans will celebrate Taiwanese-American Heritage Week nationwide from May 11 through May 18.
Rep. David Wu writes: “As the only Member of Congress born in Taiwan, I join the Taiwanese American community in celebrating the heritage week. At this time, it is important to recognize the community’s successes, but also work to promote mutual values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.”
Rep. Robert Wexler adds: “It is an honor and privilege to join the Taiwanese American community in celebrating Taiwanese American Heritage Week. I believe that it is incredibly important to recognize and salute the Taiwanese American community for their numerous accomplishments and for their deep commitment to the United States and its ideals of democracy, freedom and justice.”
The Heritage Week is dedicated to recognizing and appreciating aspects of Taiwanese-American Heritage in the United States as well as to paying tribute to those who have enriched every aspect of the Taiwanese cultural experience with their talents, intellect, and activism.
In a reference to the hurdles that hi-level visitors from Taiwan (including President Chen Shui-bian) encounter when they seek to visit the United States, the introducers of the resolution state that “frequent exchanges, including exchanges at the highest level of government, contribute to broadening the friendship and cooperation between the United States and Taiwan.”
“Taiwanese Americans having their own Heritage Week will reinforce the understanding amongst the American public that Taiwan is not a province of China, but that Taiwan and China are two separate countries!” states FAPA President Ming-chi Wu.
“The call of the resolution to let Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian visit the U.S. frequently is equally important,” Ming-chi Wu adds. “There is real support amongst Members of Congress to let Taiwan’s democratically elected President visit the United States – including the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. This resolution is a manifestation of that ever-growing momentum.”
吳振偉議員及台灣連線共同引進決議案，讚揚台美人貢獻並強調台美兩國高層交流的重要性
首位出生於台灣的美國眾議員吳振偉(David Wu, D-OR)與去年甫成立的美國國會台灣連線四位共同主席，布朗(Sherrod Brown, D-OH)，羅拉巴克(Dana Rohrabacher, R-CA)，魏克斯勒(Robert Wexler, D-FL)，與夏波(Steve Chabot, R-OH)在今日共同引進一決議案，祝賀即將在五月中旬於全美各地展開的台美人傳統週節慶。決議案中認可台美人對美國的重要性與讚揚台美人對其僑居地美國的貢獻。
今年的決議案條文與過去往年不太相同的是增加了與近日時事相關的條文。決議案中指出台美人在各行各業以及世界各個角落都創造出卓越的貢獻，其中尤以最近的美伊戰爭中，台美人與其他美國士兵並肩作戰，投身伊拉克戰場，為美國效命，為最有力的例證。
每年與傳統週相關的決議案定會提及台美兩國高層官員互訪一事，今年也不例外。決議案表示：「美國與台灣之間的頻繁交流，其中包括兩國政府之間高層官員的互訪，有助於加深兩國情誼與合作。」
魏克斯勒議員表示：「今日，台美人在美國各行各業扮演著非常傑出的角色。我特別感謝台美人對於促進台灣與美國關係所做的努力與所投入的心力。」吳掁偉議員也表示：「身為唯一出生於台灣的美國聯邦眾議員，使台美人的貢獻受到重視，並一同促進台美雙方共同認定的價值，如民主，法治與人權是相當重要的。」
台灣人公共事務會會長吳明基表示：「透過台美人傳統週這個節慶的存在，一般美國民眾將更加瞭解台灣與中國究竟是兩個不同的國家，而台灣的名字很簡單的就是台灣。」吳明基接著表示：「台美人對於身為美國，這個崇尚自由與平等國家的一員感到驕傲，而我們也期望看到美國決策部門能給予台灣更平等的待遇。今天引進此決議案的吳振偉議員即曾一再表示希望看到台灣的總統踏上華府的土地，既然今天美國可以讓中國新任領導人胡錦濤訪問華府，為什麼經由民主程序選出來，代表台灣人的總統陳水扁不能？」
H.Res.228
