Mr. Speaker, on Saturday the people of Taiwan made a historic decision, electing former dissident human rights activist and Taipei mayor Chen Shui-bian as their president. This decisive victory by the leader of the once outlawed Democratic Progressive Party is a milestone in the courageous struggle for democracy of the Taiwanese people. It is a clear rejection of the bullying and threats of the mainland Chinese government. The people of Taiwan must be allowed to freely choose their own future, including independence.
Throughout our country, Canadians of Taiwanese origin applaud the election of the first president truly of Taiwanese origin, and that of Annette Lu, the first woman to become vice-president of that country.
Today, I join democrats of all types and from all over the world in demanding that the Chinese government respect the democratic and peaceful wish expressed by the people of Taiwan during this historic election.
Let us now hope that democracy and respect for human rights will come to mainland China as well.