The late ambassador James Lilley, a major player in US relations with both Taiwan and China over the past 50 years, was remembered this week at a special “tribute to his life” held on the first anniversary of his death by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) in Washington.
It was recalled that as a senior US statesman, Lilley instructed young diplomats that Taiwan was not a problem or an issue.
“Taiwan,” he would say, “is a friend.”
AEI said in a statement that Lilley “played an important, enduring and indispensable role in America’s postwar security policies in East Asia.”
The ambassador’s career in government took him from covert intelligence operations in the Far East to senior policymaking positions in Washington, including at the National Security Council and the Pentagon.
He served as American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) director from 1983 through 1986 and played a crucial role in US efforts to convince then-president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) to end martial law and move toward democratization.
Lilley served as US ambassador to Seoul during South Korea’s transition from authoritarian rule to a democracy and as ambassador to China during the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
“Lilley’s acute and unvarnished intelligence assessments, sound judgment in times of crisis and cool counsel became coin of the realm for his colleagues — ultimately including American presidents and foreign heads of state,” the AEI statement said.
US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Kurt Campbell said Lilley was a statesman who took policy positions that demanded great personal courage.
Others paying tribute said that he was an “icon” and a “prince.”
Larry Wortzel of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, said Lilley “really knew how to stick it to the Chinese when they acted foolishly.”
He recalled that as the US envoy in Beijing, Lilley allowed his embassy staff to hold a Halloween party complete with crazy costumes and masks and a fake coffin that threw Chinese security officials into a frenzy.
On another occasion, he allowed large numbers of marathon runners to pass through the embassy compound, causing furor amongst the Chinese guards outside.
Lilley spent the last part of his career as director of AEI’s Asian Studies program. He passed away at age 81.
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