TAIWANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS URGE OBAMA TO STAND UP FOR TAIWAN DURING CHINA VISIT

TAIWANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS URGE OBAMA TO STAND UP FOR TAIWAN DURING CHINA VISIT

In a letter dated November 12, 2009, sixteen Taiwanese-American organizations appeal to President Obama to “reaffirm America's support for freedom, democracy and human rights in Taiwan” during his visit to China.

The signatories of the letter are: Kang-Hou Wang, President of Dr. Kang-Lu Wang Memorial Foundation; Terri Giles, Executive Director of Formosa Foundation; Linda Lin, President of Formosan Association for Human Rights; Bob I. Yang, President of Formosan Association for Public Affairs; Mary Helen Cruz, President of Friends of Taiwan, Inc.; Ing-Hour Lin, President of North America Taiwanese Professors' Association; Sheyling Chang, President of North America Taiwanese Women's Association; Jung T. Tsai, President of North American Taiwanese Medical Association; Ben Liu, President of Professor Chen Wen-chen Memorial Foundation; Chanchi Lee, President of Taiwan Hakka Association for Public Affairs in North America; Pauline Lee, President of Taiwanese Alliance for Interculture; Chung-nan Shih, President of Taiwanese Association of America; Fred H. Wang, President of Taiwanese Hakka Associations of America; Susan Chang, President of World Federation of Taiwanese Associations and Coordinator of World Taiwanese Congress; and James S. Chen, Chairman of World United Formosans for Independence-U.S.A.

FAPA President Bob Yang, who initiated the letter, states, “There is an anxiety among Taiwan supporters that President Obama might make concessions on Taiwan for the sake of obtaining Chinese cooperation on a host of international issues during his trip. Because we know from experience and from China's past statements and actions that Taiwan is China's top concern on its foreign policy agenda.”

Yang continues, “President Obama should strongly urge the Chinese government to remove the military threat factor out of the cross-strait equation, such as renouncing the threat to use force against Taiwan and dismantling the missiles targeted at Taiwan. No one should be allowed to bring a gun to the negotiation table. And Taiwan's democracy, freedom and security are not bargaining chips, anytime, anywhere.”

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2009年11月12日

台美人社團聯署呼籲奧巴馬總統訪中一行應堅定支持台灣

十六個台美社團於今日(12日)聯署呼籲奧巴馬總統在訪問中國之行，能夠重申美國對台灣自由，民主與人權的支持。

聯署這封信函的社團分別為：王康陸博士紀念基金會會長王康厚，福爾摩莎基金會執行主任賈泰麗，全美台灣人權協會會長林純容，台灣人公共事務會會長楊英育，台灣之友會會長 Mary Helen Cruz，北美洲台灣人教授協會會長林英侯，北美洲台灣婦女會會長林瑟玲，北美洲台灣人醫師協會會長蔡榮聰，陳文成教授紀念基金會會長劉斌碩，北美台灣客家公共事務協會會長李常吉，台灣協志會會長李寶蔆，全美台灣同鄉會會長施忠男，美洲台灣客家聯合會會長王興富，世界台灣同鄉會聯合會會長、世界台灣人大會召集人程韻如，台灣獨立建國聯盟美國本部主席陳少明。

發起這封聯署信函的FAPA會長楊英育表示：「許多台灣支持者目前普遍擔憂奧巴馬總統有可能在訪問中國時，為了獲取中國在一些國際問題上的合作，而在台灣議題上有所讓步。這樣的擔憂是因為從我們過去的經驗以及中國發表的言論與行為來看，台灣是中國外交政策上的首要目標。」

楊英育繼續表示：「奧巴馬總統應該強烈呼籲中國政府將軍事威脅這個因素從台海議題裡徹底移除，比如中國應放棄威脅或使用武力犯台，或是拆除對台導彈。我們不應容許帶著槍上談判桌。台灣的民主，自由與安全無論在何時、何地，都不應是談判籌碼。」

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