Chairman Wicker Applauds Taiwan’s 30th Anniversary of Direct Presidential Elections

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee today issued the following statement:

"In March of 1996, the people of Taiwan went to the polls for their country's first direct elections. The success and prosperity of Taiwan is one of the great transformations in modern history.

I saw this success on full display when I visited Taiwan last year. During my visit, I met with the President, Vice President, Minister of National Defense, and senior officials from the Kuomintang Party and the Taiwan People's Party. I was deeply impressed by these engagements and by a dynamic and thriving people.

During my travels, one thing was clear: Taiwan has resolved to be free. Their determination stands in stark contrast to the despotism embraced by Xi Jinping and his CCP, who increasingly coerce the island republic.

Thirty years after directly electing their first president, the Taiwanese people have shown the United States and the world that they are willing to stand up to authoritarian aggression. I want to congratulate them on their commitment to freedom and peace in the Indo-Pacific."

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