TRANSCRIPT: GINGRICH 4/2 DEPARTURE STATEMENT IN TAIWAN
(U.S. committed to principle of peaceful reunification)

Washington -- The United States remains committed to the principle of peaceful, voluntary reunification of Taiwan with China consistent with the one-China policy, according to Newt Gingrich (Republican of Georgia), Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In his departure statement in Taipei April 2, Gingrich said that the United States encourages a resumption of cross-Strait dialogue.

"It is in the interests of those on both sides of the Strait to resume this process which, along with a whole range of enhanced social and economic interaction, is the best available mechanism for achieving a long-term, peaceful resolution of the differences," he said.

At the same time, Gingrich stressed the U.S. commitment to Taiwan's defense.

"It is important to be explicit with both the People's Republic of China and Taiwan that should Beijing seek to reunify Taiwan with the mainland by force or intimidation, the United States will use all means necessary to prevent it," he said. "The use of force or engaging in provocative actions by either side is unacceptable. I have stated this view to Beijing's leaders, and we have restated it here today in Taipei."

Gingrich said he favored consideration of Taiwan on its own for accession to the World Trade Organization.

"I think that Taiwan has many important contributions to make to the world," he said. "As rapidly as Taiwan can complete the process of adjusting its trade rules, ... it should be considered on its own for the World Trade Organization membership which would increase its ability to help others learn how to grow as rapidly as Taiwan has."

Gingrich also said that Hong Kong's reversion to Chinese sovereignty is a very important test for Taiwan.

"That will be a real test of whether or not Beijing is capable of having in fact a more open society with freedom of the press and with free elections," he said.

Following is the official transcript of Gingrich's departure statement:

(begin transcript)

AIT Director Darryl Johnson: Ladies and Gentlemen, friends from the press in Taiwan, on behalf of the American Institute in Taiwan, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, the Honorable Newt Gingrich.

Speaker Gingrich: Thank you very much. Let me say first of all that we had a very good series of meetings. We wish we could spend at least as many days as we're spending hours. This is a very important delegation which includes the senior member of the House, Mr. Dingell, as the democratic co-leader, and the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Bob Livingston, as well a number of members of our leadership.

This is a statement I will read and then I'll take questions for a couple of minutes.

America's trade, civic, and cultural ties to the people of Taiwan are stronger today than ever in our history. Our long and close relationship has been strengthened by the fact that the people of Taiwan have built an impressive democracy and a prosperous free market economy. Taiwan's purchases of United States goods and services are at an all-time high, half again as great as those of the People's Republic of China. The respect for human rights and the rule of law on Taiwan today illustrates the enormous progress that has occurred over the last half century.

Most important of all, Taiwan has completed the remarkable journey to full democracy. Taiwan's elected legislature, and the recent inauguration of the first popularly elected president in over four thousand years of Chinese history, provide a model not only for the People's Republic of China, but for the world.

Woven throughout our bipartisan American foreign policy since the time of the Shanghai Joint U.S.-China Communique in 1972, and reaffirmed in the communiques of 1979 and 1982, as well as the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, is the commitment by both Beijing and Washington to ensure that the future of Taiwan will be resolved by peaceful, non-coercive means.

Prior to our visit to Tokyo, we spent three days in China, during which we reiterated our commitment to the principle of peaceful, voluntary reunification of Taiwan with the mainland consistent with the "one China policy." At the same time, I made clear our commitment to Taiwan's democratic institutions. It is important to be explicit with both the People's Republic of China and Taiwan that should Beijing seek to reunify Taiwan with the mainland by force or intimidation, the United States will use all means necessary to prevent it. The use of force or engaging in provocative actions by either side is unacceptable. I have stated this view to Beijing's leaders, and we have restated it here today in Taipei.

I have also expressed strong support, both in Beijing and Taipei, for the resumption of the process of cross-Strait dialogue. This entire delegation is committed to having those conversations proceed. It is in the interests of those on both sides of the Strait to resume this process which, along with a whole range of enhanced social and economic interaction, is the best available mechanism for achieving a long-term, peaceful resolution of the differences.

Let me just take questions.

Q: You have criticized mainland China for lack of freedom and democracy when you were in Beijing. Now you are here -- a free and democratic Taiwan. How do you see Taiwan playing a more active role in the international community?

Speaker Gingrich: I think that Taiwan has many important contributions to make to the world and I certainly think, for example, that as rapidly as Taiwan can complete the process of adjusting its trade rules, that it should be considered on its own for the World Trade Organization membership which would increase its ability to help others learn how to grow as rapidly as Taiwan has.

Q: What message will you bring back to your Congress, such as the relationship between the ROC and the Congress of the United States? Thanks a lot.

Speaker Gingrich: Well, the Congress indicated last year by 369 to 14 in the U.S. House on a bipartisan basis our commitment to protecting Taiwan and to ensuring that the dialogue about one China would be peaceful and non-coercive. I think every member of this delegation goes back impressed, first of all, with the changes throughout the region, impressed with the importance of the Hong Kong reversion process, because that will be a real test of whether or not Beijing is capable of having in fact a more open society with freedom of the press and with free elections. And Hong Kong is a very important test. And I think we will leave here today based on our conversations with the elected leadership with a strong renewal of our sense of both the political and economic progress of Taiwan, which is remarkable.

Q: Is there one message that you would like to send to the Chinese people in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the mainland, now that the 21st century is at hand?

Speaker Gingrich: Well, anyway, first of all, i'm not sure any of us are in a position to send messages to people who have 5,000 years of history. But, let me just say that I believe all of us were impressed with the scale of economic growth, the economic growth in the Hong Kong area, we were in Shanghai on Sunday, the economic growth around Shanghai, obviously, the extraordinary economic growth here in Taiwan. When you combine that with the fact that two of the three places you mentioned are now free, and our goal is to have the third place learn more about how to be free and gradually over time see all the People of China share in the natural rights of all human beings to have liberty, to have the rule of law, to have free speech and to have free elections. And, if that can happen, then there by definition can be no single contribution to the future of the human race than the largest single population on the planet moving to freedom. And so, we regard our trip as a step, as a sign, that America's committed to freedom and that we are delighted to have you both as friends, as trading partners, and in creating opportunities for the future. Thank you all very much.

(end transcript)