China should honor its much-touted commitment to peaceful emergence by respecting Taiwan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (
On his first US visit since assuming office in April, Chen said democracy and human rights are universal values.
If Beijing wants to truly pursue peaceful emergence, Chen said, it should respect Taiwan's democratic political system and way of life and refrain from saber-rattling against its people.
Addressing a packed audience at Redwood Library in Newport, Chen said the nation appreciates having long received moral support and practical assistance in various fields from the US.
Chen outlined the govern-ment's priorities as deepening democracy and promoting domestic ethnic harmony; forging rapprochement with China and maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait; and enhancing Taiwan's international profile and fulfilling its international obligations.
While expressing his gratitude for the US support for Taiwan's bid to join the WHO's World Health Assembly as an observer, Chen said that as a world leader, the US should focus more on Taiwan Strait issues.
"Taiwan's security is in the interest of many parties, including the United States itself," Chen added.
Before his speech, Chen presented a "diplomacy medal" to Claiborne Pell, a former US senator, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recognition of Pell's outstanding contributions to promoting Taiwan-US friendship, trust and cooperation over the decades.
Chen recalled that he first traveled from Taiwan to the US in 1964 to pursue advanced studies. After he received a doctorate in physics, he was unable to return to his homeland because of his pro-democracy efforts, and so stayed to work in the US for nearly three decades. After Taiwan ended martial law in 1987, he was finally allowed to return in 1992.
Thanks to his long stay in the US, Chen said he has deepened his belief in freedom, democracy and human rights. Describing Pell as an "old pal," Chen said their friendship is built on their shared values of liberal democracy and human rights.
Chen arrived in Boston Monday after attending the World Forum, an annual international conference organized by the conservative US American Enterprise Institute in Colorado from June 17 to 20.
Chen held a colloquium with scholars at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government later Monday.
On Tuesday, he met with Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty and Salve Regina University Sister Therese Antone for wide-ranging talks. He was scheduled to meet with Massachusetts Gov. Milt Romney yesterday and he will also inspect operations of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston before leaving for New York.
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