US Senate majority leader Bill Frist arrived in Taiwan yesterday for a whirlwind 24-hour visit, saying one reason for his visit to Taipei was to convey American appreciation for Taiwan's support for the US-led war on Iraq.
"Part of the purpose of our visit is to convey our gratitude to the people of Taiwan for their support of the international coalition's effort to free the Iraqi people," Frist said upon his arrival.
The Republican senator arrived in Taipei yesterday morning as head of an eight-member bipartisan American senate delegation.
Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) and de facto US ambassador to Taiwan Douglas Paal greeted the delegation at Taipei's Sungshan Airport onboard a US Air Force plane yesterday.
Frist is the first Senate majority leader to visit Taiwan since Bob Dole's trip in 1985.
Frist said the delegation's visit will be colored with discussions of "a number of economic, security and health issues that affect both the US and Taiwan.
"We believe Taiwan has much to offer to the world. We look forward to meeting with our Taiwanese hosts and continuing a constructive exchange of views on issues of mutual concern," Frist said. "We are here to listen and to learn. We are here to celebrate your democracy and our long friendship."
The other delegates in the group of heavyweight politicians include Senate Budget Committee Chairman Don Nickles and senators Susan Collins, Conrad Burns, Lincoln Chafee, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson and Mark Dayton.
In the afternoon, the delegation went to the Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan for a briefing before meeting with Mainland Affairs Council Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Defense Minister Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明).
They then visited Legislative Speaker Yuan Wang Jin-ping (王金平)
In the evening, President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen expressed his thanks for US support of Taiwan's efforts to join the World Health Organization. He also reiterated Taiwan's resolve to support the US anti-terrorism campaign and help in the post-war reconstruction of Iraq.
The delegation was to leave for Beijing today before wrapping up their trip that has also taken them to Japan and South Korea.
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