President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday extended her condolences to the family of former US president George H.W. Bush, who died aged 94 in Houston, Texas.
The death was confirmed by family spokesman Jim McGrath, who said Bush died shortly after 10pm on Friday.
Bush, the 41st US president, was in office from 1989 to 1993.
Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) said that Tsai had high regard for Bush’s efforts during his time in office to push for the end of the Cold War and facilitate world peace, and she also expressed gratitude for Bush’s support of Taiwan, saying that what he did for Taiwanese would be remembered forever.
Shortly after hearing the news, Tsai asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey her condolences and those of the Taiwanese people to Bush’s family, Huang said.
Bush was an important, long-term friend of Taiwan who supported its inclusion into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and APEC, granted arms sales to Taiwan and honored the US’ commitment to the nation under the Taiwan Relations Act through concrete actions, the ministry said in a news release.
Bush’s visit to Taiwan in November 1993, just 10 months after his term ended, was also an embodiment of his firm support for Taiwan, it added.
Several Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers also praised Bush’s efforts to promote democracy and his friendly attitude toward Taiwan.
KMT Policy Committee director Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said Bush’s friendliness toward Taiwan included a US$6 billion sale of 150 F-16 jets to strengthen the nation’s defense.
That was the largest single arms deal between Taipei and Washington.
The Bush family has made great contributions to the US’ democracy, as Bush and his son George W. Bush, the 43rd US president, devoted themselves to the welfare of the American people during their tenures, DPP legislative caucus secretary-general Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) said.
Additional reporting by Stacy Hsu
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