WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.), co-chairs of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, released the following statement today on the passing of Lee Teng-hui, Taiwan’s first democratically elected president:
“We join the people of Taiwan in mourning the passing of Lee Teng-hui, and offer our prayers for his loved ones and to all those who continue to draw strength and inspiration from his life and legacy. It’s not often that the story of a man’s life tells the story of a nation. But so it is with Lee Teng-hui: born under colonial rule, living through civil war and dictatorship, and ultimately leading Taiwan’s democratic triumph. As today’s leaders in Taiwan continue to advance the cause of freedom and democracy and the legacy of President Lee, they do not do so alone. America stands with them. When he made his historic visit to America in 1995, President Lee spoke eloquently about how democracy in Taiwan had ushered in the freest era in Chinese history. He said that as a leader of a democracy, he always kept the people in his heart. Today, Americans and free people everywhere keep the memory of Lee Teng-hui in our hearts.”
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