Thank you for reporting on US Representative Jim Leach's coming to the presidential inauguration ("US announces its delegation to attend Chen's inauguration," May 16, page 1). His background makes him just about the most suitable American for this event. In 1986 in Washington I had the privilege of thanking him personally for what he was doing to help the Taiwanese people. He did quite a bit to help.
As one of the architects of the Taiwan Relations Act, Leach has helped Taiwan survive.
Years ago, Belgian author Simon Leyes told us what a disaster China was. But there was hope for change when former US president Richard Nixon established a relationship with China and, as Richard Holbrook wrote in 1982, agreed to disagree with China over Taiwan. Near the end of the 1970s, along came another president who dropped recognition of Taiwan and recognized China.
When that happened Leyes wrote a blistering article saying in effect that it would be impossible to do anything more wrong than that: America and China had established a satisfactory relationship, he said, and insisted that if the Chinese government wanted recognition by the US it would have to accept US recognition of Taiwan.
That US president was capable of doing good things but he missed the point completely in this case. Fortunately there were good and smart people around to give us the Taiwan Relations Act. And Leach helped Taiwan in many other ways -- just as he has helped the US. Even with many millions of citizens, Americans have a tough time trying to find the right man for president. Leach should have been given the job long ago. He does everything right. Welcome, Jim!
Frank O'Donnell
Taichung
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