Recognizing the 125th anniversary of Payson, Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, last month the House Foreign Affairs

Committee marked up House Concurrent Resolution 278, and I would like to thank the distinguished chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Berman, and also our senior ranking member, Ms. Ros- Lehtinen, for agreeing to removal of certain language suggesting that the People's Republic of China is currently threatening or intimidating Taiwan as it seeks to hold democratic elections.

Mr. Speaker, I visited Taiwan twice in the past year, and most recently in November I met with their President and Premier and even their presidential candidates. I can assure my colleagues that elections are in full swing in Taiwan with no intimidation from the People's Republic of China. In fact, quite the opposite. Taiwan's current administration has hung signs and posters on government buildings, including the presidential palace, urging Taiwan's accession to the United Nations, a policy which the United States does not support and which this administration also opposes.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Chairman Berman's comments before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in marking up this resolution, and I quote, ``Passage of this bill should not be construed as taking a position on the referendum regarding Taiwan's membership in the United Nations, which the Government of Taiwan plans to hold in conjunction with the election.''

I would like to associate myself with Chairman Berman's position and remarks as, again, this administration has made it clear that it does not support a vote on the referendum being held in conjunction with the election.

Mr. Speaker, Taiwan has come a long way. It was only until 1996 that they had their first elected President of the people of Taiwan. Taiwan ranks among the top 10 of our trading partners of the world and, ironically, Taiwan currently holds a $100 billion trade relationship with the People's Republic of China. Many people don't realize this.

Given the nature of this debate, Mr. Speaker, it is my intent to be in Taiwan this month to monitor or to observe the upcoming elections. I think it is important for Members to observe firsthand the process and meet the leaders in Taiwan and Beijing before being so quick to condemn the People's Republic of China.

Mr. Speaker, while Hong Kong is a different case, we should not forget that it was China, not Britain, that wrote into the Basic Law of Hong Kong provisions for Hong Kong to hold democratic elections ultimately based on universal suffrage.

I support Taiwan's right to hold democratic elections which started, as I said earlier, about 10 years ago; but I do not believe it will be in the best interest of our country to support the position of Taiwan's current administration which has attempted to push for independence, which is contrary to the U.S. position on one China, two systems. Whatever political relationship Taiwan and China want to work out peacefully, I believe that this is what we should also be supporting. Therefore, in no way should passage of this resolution be construed to be anything than what it is. This is a resolution to congratulate Taiwan's efforts to build a greater foundation for democracy and its upcoming presidential elections. It is my understanding that the U.S. does not and should not take a position on which candidate the people of Taiwan should elect. It is up to the people of Taiwan to determine who will best represent their interests, and we will support the will of the people.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 278) supporting Taiwan's fourth direct and democratic presidential elections in March 2008, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and yield myself 5 minutes.

I would like first to thank the ranking member of the full committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for introducing this important resolution.

The United States' relationship with Taiwan speaks to the great importance of democracy in our foreign policy. Over the past 60 years, the U.S.-Taiwan relationship has undergone dramatic changes, but it is Taiwan's development of democracy that underpins the strong U.S.-Taiwan friendship we enjoy today.

Initially our relations were defined by a shared strategic purpose of containing the spread of communism in Asia. This Cold War imperative served our strategic goals, but compelled us to cooperate with an authoritarian dictatorship in Taipei that failed to respect basic human rights. With the normalization of relations with Beijing in 1973, the Cold War's strategic landscape changed, and, over time, could have threatened to diminish the importance of the U.S.-Taiwan partnership. But Taiwan's commitment to democracy prevented such a split.

As the PRC liberalized and opened up to the world economically, Taiwan's political system evolved from authoritarianism to one of the strongest democratic systems in Asia, and in the process the U.S.- Taiwan relationship transformed from one based solely on shared interest to one based on shared values.

Today Taiwan is a flourishing, multiparty democracy that respects human rights, upholds the rule of law and holds competitive elections, including presidential elections in 1996, 2000, and 2004. This remarkable political evolution proves beyond any doubt that the notion of ``Asian values,'' which was used to justify one man or one party rule, is a complete fallacy. Democracy, freedom and human rights are universal values to which all human beings aspire.

This resolution recognizes Taiwan's strong democratic system by supporting Taiwan's fourth democratic presidential election, which will take place in March of this year, and by encouraging delegations from around the world to visit Taiwan to witness the election process.

It is important to note, however, that this resolution should not be construed as taking a position on the referendum regarding Taiwan's membership in the United Nations under the name Taiwan, which is also being held in conjunction with the presidential election. The purpose of this resolution is to honor the U.S.-Taiwan friendship by celebrating Taiwan's democracy. I strongly support this resolution and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to my friend from American Samoa, the chairman of the Asian Subcommittee, Mr. Faleomavaega, 5 minutes.

(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Nevada (Ms. Berkley).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would also like to thank Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for authoring this great piece of legislation, the resolution.

I would like to take this opportunity also to offer our varied Asian American communities, Taiwanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Singaporean, belated wishes for good fortune in the lunar new year which began last month. I wish all these communities health, long life, and prosperity as they welcome the Year of the Rat, a year which brings hard work, activity, and renewal. We also expect hard work and much activity in the months ahead in what promises to be a dynamic 2008.

Taiwan faces a very competitive campaign in the next 2 weeks before the March 22 presidential election. No one is able to predict the final outcome. That in itself is an indication of a thriving democracy.

Those skeptics who once said that democratic values would never thrive in a Chinese cultural context need to look no further than Taiwan. Free and fair elections in Taiwan bear a significance which reaches far beyond the shores of one island.

Taiwan, through its maturing democratic institutions, stands as a shining example for other Asian states struggling with the introduction of representative forms of government and the rule of law. Taiwan's free elections, however, have the greatest impact on those who are still yearning to breathe free in the vast Chinese mainland just across the narrow Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan's young democracy faces constant military threat and intimidation from neighboring China. Yet in spite of these belligerent threats and the constant saber-rattling by Beijing, Taipei has continued to stand tall for freedom. Taiwan's evolving and dynamic democracy serves as a beacon of hope for those still suffering under oppression in the Communist Chinese mainland.

Taiwan's democracy is a torch which shines ever brighter, far outshining the Olympic torch of the Chinese regime which hopes this year to use sports to achieve propaganda victory. Freedom shines brighter than any medal, Mr. Speaker.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in giving their strong, enthusiastic support to this resolution which welcomes Taiwan's fourth direct and democratic elections as part of our ongoing efforts to promote democracy around the world and in the Asian region in particular. I wish the people of Taiwan continued peace, prosperity, and liberty in this Year of the Rat, and in the years and decades ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), the ranking member of the Committee on Small Business and a longstanding friend of Taiwan.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise as one of the founding members of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, and I also want to thank the gentlelady from Nevada, Shelley Berkley, for her leadership in that capacity as well, as well as our colleagues Robert Wexler and Dana Rohrabacher who are the other founding members.

I most recently traveled to Taiwan this last January, the week prior to the Legislative Yuan Elections, and I rise in support of House Resolution 278, a resolution recognizing Taiwan's fourth direct democratic presidential election to be conducted later this month. This resolution sends the right message at the right time.

As one of the very few democracies in Asia, Taiwan should be recognized for its courage and commitment to allow its citizens to choose its future. It is a democracy that maintains a multi-party political system, and one that recognizes and respects individual liberty and human rights.

Just across the Taiwan Strait is the People's Republic of China. It most certainly is not a democracy. It maintains an abysmal human rights record. It does not recognize the rule of law. It practices religious persecution. It warehouses political prisoners. It carries out a coercive abortion policy. And it has more than 800 missiles pointed directly at Taiwan. It is against this backdrop that Taiwan forges on with its elections.

I am disappointed that the stronger language contained in the introduced version of the bill, which referenced the acts of intimidation and pressure by China, were eliminated. It is better to speak the truth rather than to worry about offending China's sensitivities. Intimidation, pressure, and outright bullying will not go away by ignoring it or by being silent about it.

Notwithstanding this concern, I am supportive of the resolution, and I would urge its passage today.

Mr. Speaker, today the House considers a timely resolution supporting Taiwan's fourth direct and democratic presidential elections which will take place in just a few weeks. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this resolution.

In 1979, Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which caused our Government to consider Taiwan in nearly all respects a sovereign partner. President Ronald Reagan reinforced this stance in 1982 when he publicly reiterated the US position regarding Taiwan's sovereignty. Since that time, the United States and Taiwan have enjoyed increasingly close relations, and our two countries maintain a strong strategic alliance. Today Taiwan remains one of the strongest democratic allies of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region.

The United States and Taiwan share a common vision of freedom and democracy. Since Taiwan's first democratic presidential election in 1998, Taiwan has successfully held routine, free, and fair elections in a multiparty system. As a beacon of democracy in the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan deserves recognition and support from the United States.

I am pleased to rise in strong support of Taiwan's continued commitment to democratic elections. Now is the time for the United States to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to Taiwan's democracy and security. For an ally that shares our values of freedom, security and prosperity, we can do nothing less.

And that's just the way it is.