A group representing the Clinton administration yesterday urged President-elect Chen Shui-bian (
"The President wanted me to stress the continuity of our policy to Taiwan and to express his hope that we can work together to find a way to reestablish a dialogue on the peaceful resolution and development of cross-strait relations," Laura D'Andrea Tyson, the head of the US delegation representing Clinton, told Chen yesterday.
"PNTR is one of the many things we can do to restore trust and improve relations," said Tyson, the former Chairwoman of the National Economic Council (NEC).
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORGE, TAIPEI TIMES.
Chen stressed the importance of Taiwan's participation in the international community and urged the US to lend more support for the country's entry in international organizations.
"We hope the US will support Taiwan's participation in international organizations that do not require statehood as a precondition ... including international as well as economic and technical organizations," Chen said.
The US House is scheduled to vote on PNTR next Tuesday.
While the legislation enjoys wide support in the US Senate, the House remains divided over whether to grant Beijing PNTR status.
Tyson said Chen's support for PNTR is crucial for both China and Taiwan's accession into the WTO.
The US delegation also includes Chairman and Managing Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Richard Bush, President of the US Institute of Peace Richard Solomon, and former Chancellor of the University of California Berkeley Tien Chang-lin (田長霖).
In Washington, a group of 32 current and former congressmen, including Senate Majority leader Trent Lott, former Representative Lester Wolff, Representative Benjamin Gilman, and Representative Matt Salmon, sent congratulatory remarks in a taped video shown during a press conference presided over by Vice President-elect Annette Lu (
Wolff was one of the main congressmen behind the drafting of the Taiwan Relations Act.
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