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Rep. Jim Langevin

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, which was signed into law on April 10, 1979, by President Jimmy Carter. For more than two decades, the Taiwan Relations Act has served to provide the Republic of China on Taiwan the necessary security to grow ever stronger. Economically, Taiwan is now a member of the World Trade Organization and one of the strongest economic entities in the world. Politically, it is a strong and growing democracy whose people enjoy all the liberties and freedoms inherent in such a system.

It is my hope that the Taiwan Relations Act will continue to serve as the basis of our relations with democratic Taiwan. That means we must continue to assist Taiwan in meeting its legitimate security needs and continue our contact with representatives of the Taiwan government. They are democratically elected leaders of one of our largest trading partners and our continuing dialogue with them is fundamental to a mutually beneficial relationship.

In closing I would like to commend the good work that Ambassador C. J. Chen and his able staff have been performing here in Washington. Through their efforts, I am certain that the relationship between the United States and Taiwan, anchored in the Taiwan Relations Act, will enjoy continued strength in the years ahead.