美國眾議院外交委員會主席 Roth-Lehtinen

美國眾議院外交委員會主席 Ileana Roth-Lehtinen

分類：台灣

2012/05/23 22:41

 

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林保華/ 美國軍機再降台灣

馬英九連任總統的登基典禮，美國派遣擔任眾議院外委會主席的羅斯蕾婷娜（共和黨籍）率領國會議員團來台灣祝賀，是美國國會歷來出席中華民國總統就職活動層級最高、陣容最大的祝賀團。 如果從狹隘的眼光來看，那只是表示美國對馬英九的支持。但是我更願意解讀為，美國對台灣戰略地位的再度重視。因為除了層級與陣容外，我更重視他們是搭軍機來台灣的。這是馬英九兩次當選總統後，美國軍機第二次來台灣。去年日本三一一地震，美國撤僑來台灣，也沒有出動軍機。 第一次是二○○九年八八水災之時，美軍太平洋總部在八月八日、九日透過ＡＩＴ詢問台灣是否需要援助，都被馬政府拒絕；共軍卻在十一日舉行詭異的軍事演習，而外交部長歐鴻鍊到香港討論中國來台救災事宜。美國遂爆出馬政府拒絕美援，引發輿論撻伐，馬英九被迫站到第一線接受美援，美國也第一時間在八月十六日派遣海軍陸戰隊的重型運輸直升飛機運載救災工具與物質來台灣。美國不等台灣軍方派員引航，飛機就來了，大有與北京爭時間之勢。事後夏立言、歐鴻鍊、蘇起相繼去職，應是在這個問題上代馬英九受過。 因此這次馬英九的就職，美國派出軍機，是向馬英九宣示，在處理兩岸關係時，不要忽視美國的存在，而且是隨時可以派軍機在台灣降落。另一方面也是向中國宣示，美國軍機可以在台灣降落，中國卻不可以。這顯然也與目前南海、東海的局勢有關。 美國國會派出這個層級代表團，也有修復台美民間關係的意思。因為馬英九硬推美牛案，似是在美國壓力下不得不為之，使美國這個民主國家領袖的形象在台灣受損，中國則樂見台灣民間出現反美情緒。對此，華府的資深官員四月十日向聯合報記者表示，美國「絕對不會」將牛肉議題與對台軍售及免簽證計畫掛鉤，台灣仍可期待在今年底前獲美國免簽證待遇。這位資深官員更表示，美國對馬政府日前透過吳伯雄，向中國國家主席胡錦濤提出「一國兩區」的說法頗感意外，曾向馬政府表達不悅。 美國政府之所以找上聯合報，自然是因為該報與馬英九的特殊關係，可以更好的向馬英九轉達有關信息。因此馬英九已經不敢自吹自擂現在是台美關係的最佳時刻；還要戰戰兢兢擔心他的綠卡問題何時會爆出。 反之，前民進黨立委蔡同榮也出面宴請羅斯蕾婷娜一行，一些綠營政要出席。看來美國與民進黨的關係也必須修讀，才能夠制衡馬英九在兩岸關係上的暴衝。 （作者林保華為資深時事評論員http://blog.pixnet.net/LingFengComment）自由時報0522 INTRODUCTION REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN May 21, 2012 TAIPEI Mark Kao, FAPA President Dear Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, members of the Congressional delegation, and friends: It is an honor for me to introduce our dear friend and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen here today. Even though she is so well-known here in Taiwan as well as in the US, that she probably does not need an introduction. The Taipei Times called her "one of the bravest, strongest and most outspoken long-time friends of Taiwan's democracy on Capitol Hill." I agree and we are proud to call her our friend. As early as 1990, her first year in Congress, she surprised FAPA members and friends of Taiwan when she honored them by appearing unannounced at a FAPA Congressional Luncheon on Capitol Hill. That is almost 22 years ago and she has been supportive of Taiwan ever since. I am told that one of the reasons why the Congresswoman is such a passionate supporter of Taiwan and a defender of Taiwan's fragile democracy, is because she was born in Cuba and came to the United States when she was still young. So she has first-hand experience of living under authoritarian, non-democratic rule. She therefore has an equally clear understanding of the threats to democracy that Taiwan currently faces. Today's Taiwan is a strong ally of the United States that shares with the U.S. the ideals of freedom, democracy, and self-determination. The people of Taiwan, helped by us Taiwanese Americans, have fought long and hard to make Taiwan the democracy it is today. And we need to do whatever we can to sustain this democracy. It is not only in the interest of the people of Taiwan but also in the interest of the United States. We need and want to keep Taiwan free! Last September, the chairman presented an American flag to Dr. Tsai Ing-wen at a Capitol Hill reception, further forging a bond between Taiwan and the United States. I did not bring a flag today but I DO have a gift for the chairman. When I visited the chairman in her office last month I told her that we are hoping that some day a street in Taipei will be named after her in gratitude for all her support for Taiwan over the past decades. I found out that this is not as easy as it sounds. So for the time being, I present to the chairman this photo of a streetsign-to-be that we have made and which reads: "Ileana Da-Dou" - which is Taiwanese for "Ileana Boulevard" - a boulevard that is the best road between the United States and Taiwan. Without further ado, a warm welcome for our close friend and ally: the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen! Ros-Lehtinen議員、美國國會代表團成員及在座先進: 雖然今天的貴賓在台灣早已名聲響亮，但我仍然感到非常榮幸可以介紹我們台灣的朋友，美國眾議院外交事務委員會主席Ileana Ros-Lehtinen議員。 台北時報稱Ros-Lehtinen議員為「台灣在國會山莊裡最勇敢、最堅定也最直率敢言的長年好友。」而我也非常同意這樣的說法。我們也以與她為友而感到榮幸。 1990年，FAPA曾在國會山莊舉辦了一次國會的午餐招待會，當時剛展開眾議員生涯第一年的議員意外的光臨了那一次餐會，也給了在座所有人一個驚喜。從那天至今的二十二年，議員一直都是台灣的強力支持者。 議員在古巴出生，在她幼年去到美國之前曾在威權統治的社會下生活，因此她對於現今台灣的民主所面臨的挑戰很能感同身受。 今天的台灣是與美國共享自由、民主與民族自決理念的盟友。我們台灣人奮鬥了很長久的時間才讓台灣的民主有今天的成果，而我們必須不計一切的守護這樣的民主。保障台灣的自由，是台美雙方的共同利益。 去年九月，蔡英文前主席訪問美國時，數位議員曾在國會的歡迎酒會上致贈一面美國國旗給蔡前主席。我今天並沒有帶國旗，但是我有一份特別的禮物要送給眾議員。我上個月在眾議員的辦公室與她會面時曾提過希望台北市的某一條街道有朝一日可以以議員的名字命名，以表達她對台灣長期的支持。Ileana Boulevard 就是台灣和美國交流的最好通道。我代表大家贈送這份相片圖像給議員。 現在讓我們用熱烈的掌聲來歡迎我們的好友Ileana Ros-Lehtinen議員。

MA’S RE-INAUGURATION: US congressional delegation arrives for Ma inauguration

STORM WARNING:Ros-Lehtinen said she and the US delegation would talk about China, advancing bilateral trade and how to preserve democracy

By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter

US Representative and Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ileana Ros-Lehtinen addresses the press on her arrival at Taipei Songshan International Airport yesterday.

Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

The US is a good friend of Taiwan that “shields you from the storm,” US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, said yesterday after arriving to attend President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) inauguration.

The delegation arrived on a chartered Boeing 737 US Air Force executive jetliner and landed at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) at 3:25pm.

In a brief statement upon her arrival, Ros-Lehtinen highlighted the importance the US places on Taiwan’s security.

“An old proverb states that a good friend shields you from the storm. We, from the United States Congress, are here to assure you that America is such a friend to Taiwan,” she said.

Ros-Lehtinen said the delegation would discuss “the rise of China,” exchange ideas on “how to advance bilateral trade” and “how to best preserve Taiwan as what it is — a beacon of democracy.”

The Republican US representative from Florida, who is originally from Havana, Cuba, said being in Taiwan “makes me feel right at home” because her homeland is another beautiful, semi-tropical island like Taiwan.

“I would like to formally congratulate President Ma on his inauguration for a second term and as we know, for decades the US and Taiwan have forged strong partnership. We cooperate closely in matters of the economy, on foreign policy, but most especially, on security matters,” she said.

The delegation was composed of bipartisan members of congress, including Dan Burton, Thad McCotter, Jim Gerlach, Brad Miller and Jean Schmidt. They also met Premier Sean Chen .

During their three-day stay, they will also meet Ma, Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), and visit the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Mainland Affairs Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Former Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) will hold a banquet for the delegation tonight.

Former White House chief of staff William Daley, the head of the US delegation to the inauguration was asked for a comment on Ma’s inaugural speech at a lunch banquet hosted by Minster of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添).

“It was a very nice speech and we are having a great day,” Daley said.