The top US envoy to Taiwan, Brent Christensen, has lauded late President Lee Teng-hui as a hero of Taiwan’s democratic transformation. His remarks came Monday when visiting a memorial for Lee along with Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
Lee passed away last Thursday due to multiple organ failure, at the age of 97.
Christensen, who is the director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said that the US and Taiwan owe their strong relationship to reforms that Lee implemented when he was president.
“President Lee was a great hero of Taiwan’s democratic transformation. The bold reforms that he put into place played a crucial role in making Taiwan the beacon of democracy that it is today. And we honor his legacy by continuing the [strengthening] of the US-Taiwan relationship, based on our shared democratic values" said Christensen.
Minister Wu said that Lee played an important role in overhauling Taiwan’s foreign diplomacy. He said that, thanks to the former president, Taiwan has a reputation as a force for good on the international stage.