Gerald Connolly, a Virginia democrat, has become the new co-chairman of Washington’s Congressional Taiwan Caucus.
He is replacing Robert Wexler, a Florida democrat, who has resigned from Congress and is leaving at the end of this year.
Connolly, who is serving his first term, is president of the freshman class at the US House of Representatives and is considered a rising star with the ear of the Democratic Party leadership.
A member of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Connolly has a post-graduate degree from Harvard University and spent 10 years on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
He has a long history of contact with Taiwan, is knowledgeable about US-Taiwan relations and has visited Taiwan on several occasions.
For the last 14 years he has held major elected positions in northern Virginia politics.
The Congressional Taiwan Caucus was formed in 2002 to “explore ways to positively enhance and strengthen US relations and cooperation with the government and people of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act.”
It was formed with 85 members and now has 145.
Wexler, 48, a founding member of the caucus, has been one of the most vocal supporters of Taiwan in the House of Representatives.
The day before Taiwan held its presidential elections in March 2000, he sent a video message to Taipei urging Taiwanese to vote with their conscience and not to be intimidated by then-Chinese premier Zhu Rongji’s (朱鎔基) threats.
In September 2001, Wexler took the lead in introducing a resolution stating that it was US policy that the future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully with the express consent of the people of Taiwan without threats, intimidation or interference.
He has also been a major supporter of a US-Taiwan free-trade agreement.
Wexler is leaving Congress to lead the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation — a private think tank.
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