VZCZCXRO7941
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P 240738Z APR 09
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000489 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ETRD OVIP TW CH
SUBJECT: REPRESENTATIVES LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART AND MARIO 
DIAZ-BALART VISITS TAIWAN TO COMMEMORATE TRA ANNIVERSARY 
 
REF: TAIPEI 00417 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Taiwan officials expressed their 
appreciation to Representatives Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Mario 
Diaz-Balart for their efforts to reaffirm U.S. commitment to 
the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) during their April 6-8 visit 
to Taiwan, and emphasized the importance of the U.S. 
relationship, and stressed the need to strengthen bilateral 
defense and economic ties.  End Summary. 
 
LY Speaker: U.S. Security Cooperation a Bulwark of Democracy 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Congressional Taiwan Caucus co-chair Representative 
Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Representative Mario Diaz-Balart 
visited Taiwan April 6-8 to commemorate the 30th anniversary 
of the passage of the TRA.  In addition to meeting President 
Ma Ying-Jeou (reftel), the delegation met with a range of 
government and political party officials.  Legislative Yuan 
President Wang Jin-pyng expressed his appreciation for the 
Congressmen's support of Taiwan during a cordial April 7 
meeting.  Wang noted that Taiwan has developed into a 
democracy with a two-party political system that seriously 
takes into account the people's will and desires.  He 
emphasized that continued U.S. security assistance and 
political support are needed to help maintain and even to 
further develop Taiwan's democracy in the face of continued 
pressures from the PRC.  Wang also noted Taiwan's desire to 
meaningfully participate in international organizations and 
sought U.S. support to develop its international space. 
 
Defense Minister: U.S. Arms Key to Cross-Strait Talks 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) U.S. Congressional support has been essential to 
Taiwan's security in the 30 years since the signing of the 
TRA, Minster of Defense Chen Chao-min told the visiting 
Representatives during an April 8 meeting.  The United States 
is Taiwan's most important partner and the comprehensive 
relations provided for under the TRA allowed the island to 
develop economically and politically.  U.S. support is 
particularly important now, in an era of warming cross-Strait 
ties, Chen emphasized, because it allows Taiwan to engage 
China from a position of confidence.  U.S. military support 
continues to be essential to Taiwan's security, Chen said, 
and expressed appreciation for then-President Bush's decision 
in October 2008 to move forward with the sale of weapons 
systems that will help address the growing cross-Strait 
military imbalance.  However, he noted, Taiwan will continue 
to need to buy additional defense equipment, to include 
additional PAC-3 surface-to-air missile batteries, utility 
helicopters, F-16 C/Ds and submarines. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Thanking Chen for the warm hospitality shown to his 
delegation, Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart reiterated the support 
of the entire 128-member Congressional Taiwan Caucus for the 
TRA as the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan relations. The Caucus, 
Diaz-Balart emphasized, will work to ensure that the new U.S. 
administration maintains these friendly relations.  The 
Congressman also expressed his recognition of Taiwan fragile 
defense posture relative to the PRC following his visit to 
Chiayi Air Base.  The delegation was particularly concerned 
with the quantity and quality of Chinese weapons arrayed 
against Taiwan and assured the Minister that they will do 
everything in their power to push the Executive Branch to 
provide Taiwan with all the defense items it needs to ensure 
a credible defense and allow for Taiwan to negotiate from a 
position of strength. 
 
Delegation Members 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  (U) The U.S. delegation included Rep. Lincoln 
Diaz-Balart, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 
Chief of Staff Ana Carbonell, Mario Diaz-Balart Chief of 
 
TAIPEI 00000489  002 OF 002 
 
 
Staff Nilda Pedrosa, Lincoln Diaz-Balart Senior Legislative 
Assistant Autumn Morley, Mario Diaz-Balart Senior Legislative 
Assistant Miguel Mendoza. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Reps. Diaz-Balart did not have an opportunity to 
clear this message. 
YOUNG