August 11, 1997

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. ----

WASHINGTON, D.C. ---- FALEOMAVAEGA, GILMAN CODEL MEET WITH TAIWAN'S PRESIDENT AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS

CONGRESSMAN ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HE IS A MEMBER OF, LED BY HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN BEN GILMAN, CONCLUDED TWO DAYS OF GOVERNMENT MEETINGS IN TAIWAN TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND REGIONAL SECURITY ISSUES.

WHILE IN TAIPEI, THE GILMAN DELEGATION HAD AN OFFICIAL STATE VISIT WITH TAIWAN PRESIDENT LEE TENG-HUI. MEETINGS WERE ALSO HELD WITH TAIWAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER JOHN CHANG, DEFENSE MINISTER CHIANG CHUNG-LING, AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT.

"I NEVER FAIL TO BE IMPRESSED WITH TAIWAN'S CONTINUING PROGRESS," STATED FALEOMAVAEGA. "ITS FLOURISHING DEMOCRACY AND WORLD-CLASS ECONOMY, RANKED 14TH IN THE WORLD, MAKE TAIWAN THE ENVY OF MANY LARGER NATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE. OUR TRADE RELATIONSHIP WITH TAIWAN IS VIBRANT, WITH THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTING TAIWAN'S LARGEST TRADING PARTNER. HOWEVER, WHILE WE SELL THE TAIWANESE $18 BILLION ANNUALLY IN GOODS, THE U.S. STILL RUNS A NAGGING DEFICIT OF $11 BILLION THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED."

"MUCH OF OUR DISCUSSIONS," FALEOMAVAEGA REMARKED, "FOCUSSED ON IMPROVING RELATIONS BETWEEN TAIWAN AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC). JUST LAST YEAR, PRC MISSILE TESTS AND MILITARY EXERCISES THREATENED TAIWAN, RAISING TENSIONS DANGEROUSLY IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT. IN RESPONSE, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE U.S. CONGRESS, DISPATCHED TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIER TASK FORCES TO THE AREA TO MAINTAIN PEACE AND STABILITY. OUR DELEGATION ASSURED TAIWANESE LEADERS THAT AMERICA CONTINUES TO VIEW PEACE IN EAST ASIA AS A VITAL INTEREST, AND THAT THE U.S. WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN THE REGION. WE ALSO COUNSELED TAIPEI, HOWEVER, TO ACT RESPONSIBLY AND WITH PATIENCE IN SEEKING TO RESOLVE TAIWAN'S PLACE IN THE WORLD COMMUNITY."

FALEOMAVAEGA CONCLUDED, "IT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES -- INCLUDING AMERICAN SAMOA WHERE WE DO BUSINESS WITH TAIWAN AND HAVE A SMALL TAIWANESE COMMUNITY -- THAT THE LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST BETWEEN OUR GOVENMENTS BE MAINTAINED. THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN AND AMERICA SHARE A DEEP FRIENDSHIP BUILT UPON A COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM THAT MUST BE PROTECTED."