[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 138 Introduced in House (IH)]

  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 138

  Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the movement toward 
 democracy by the 21,000,000 people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), 
  and addressing the increasingly dangerous behavior of the People's 
                           Republic of China.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 31, 1996

   Mr. Solomon (for himself, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Royce, Mr. 
  Rohrabacher, Mr. Cox of California, and Mr. Ackerman) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the movement toward 
 democracy by the 21,000,000 people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), 
  and addressing the increasingly dangerous behavior of the People's 
                           Republic of China.

Whereas vital interests of the United States increasingly lie in Asia, where 36 
        percent of the international trade of the United States is conducted, 
        the largest source of investment capital resides, the fastest-growing 
        markets are developing, and the major portion of world energy trade 
        routes and energy reserves may be found;
Whereas the interests of the United States in regional stability, 
        nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, democracy, and free 
        trade are shared with several allies and partners in the region, and it 
        is critical that the emergence of a regional hegemonic power be 
        prevented by effective and timely diplomacy and clearly stated policies, 
        incentives, and penalties;
Whereas United States policy should be driven by the values and vital interests 
        of the United States and must seek to differentiate clearly between 
        types of behavior that support and threaten such values and interests;
Whereas the people of the Republic of China (ROC) will have a democratically 
        elected government at every level when the presidential elections are 
        held in March of 1996;
Whereas the ROC, in less than 50 years, has increased its per capita gross 
        national product from $50 to $12,000, acquired the world's largest 
        currency reserves, is the 13th largest trading economy, is host to more 
        than 2,600 United States companies, and is the shipping and 
        communication hub of Asia--all while making a peaceful transition to 
        democracy;
Whereas the ROC, sharing with the United States the fundamental values of 
        political, religious, and economic freedom, free trade, rule of law, 
        tolerance for diversity, and peaceful relations, is a model for the 
        rapidly developing and strategically critical Asian region;
Whereas the People's Republic of China (PRC) has in recent months staged 
        numerous military exercises near the Taiwan Straits area, including 
        tests of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles;
Whereas the military exercises have caused a high degree of tension in the 
        Taiwan Straits area and serious concern in the neighboring countries, 
        who are mindful of the fact that the People's Liberation Army has 
        initiated conflicts with its neighbors, including Russia, India, Taiwan, 
        Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea in the past 45 years, and in the United 
        States, which is mindful of the thousands of its soldiers lost in three 
        major wars in Asia;
Whereas this concern is spurred by the 140 percent increase in the military 
        budget of the PRC in the past 6 years, with particular concern arising 
        from the concentration of the PRC on airborne and amphibious rapid-
        deployment capabilities supported by new submarines and aircraft, as 
        well as advanced negotiations to purchase aircraft carriers;
Whereas the PRC is the only nation that continues to officially target the 
        United States with nuclear weapons, is the only country other than 
        Russia to operate road-mobile ballistic missiles, and is violating its 
        pledges with respect to the development of nuclear, chemical, and 
        biological weapons;
Whereas the PRC continues to provide training, technology, components, and 
        complete nuclear and missile systems to other countries, including 
        hostile and unstable middle east regimes such as those in Iran, Iraq, 
        Syria;
Whereas the decision of the United States to establish diplomatic relations with 
        the PRC, as expressed in the Taiwan Relations Act, is based ``upon the 
        expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful 
        means'';
Whereas the people of Taiwan and the PRC have the right to be represented 
        respectively in the world community;
Whereas the ROC has repeatedly stated that its participation in international 
        organizations is that of ``parallel representation'', with no intention 
        of challenging the current international status of the PRC;
Whereas international organizations such as the United Nations have established 
        ample precedents concerning such ``parallel representation'', such as in 
        the case of Korea and Germany; and
Whereas Taiwan's increasing international standing as a leading market economy, 
        a contributor of assistance to other countries, and a democracy, and its 
        membership in the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the 
        Asian Development Bank, amplify the sense of the Senate as expressed in 
        Senate Resolution 270, passed in October 1994, that Taiwan should become 
        a member, at the earliest possible time, of the World Trade 
        Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the International 
        Bank for Reconstruction and Development: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the President should take all appropriate steps to 
        acknowledge and embrace the full accession to democratic status 
        by the people of the Republic of China (hereafter in this 
        resolution referred to as the ``ROC'') upon the successful 
        completion of their presidential election, and convey the 
        support and appreciation of the people of the United States for 
        this accomplishment, which has been a goal long supported by 
        the United States Government;
            (2) any attempt by the People's Republic of China 
        (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the ``PRC'') to 
        threaten the peace and stability of the ROC is a threat to 
        peace and security in the Pacific and a matter of grave concern 
        to the United States;
            (3) the President should immediately undertake intensified 
        diplomatic initiatives to insist that the PRC reduce tensions 
        with the ROC by means of dialogue and other confidence building 
        measures and provide to the Congress, within 90 days after the 
        date on which this resolution is adopted, a report on the 
        progress of these initiatives;
            (4) the President should immediately join the Congress in 
        condemning the use by the PRC of ``missile diplomacy'', 
        military intimidation, subversion, or economic warfare against 
        any sovereign democratic country in the region, especially 
        Taiwan;
            (5) the President should immediately join the Congress in 
        condemning the recent implicit threats by the PRC of missile 
        attacks against the United States as irresponsible, dangerous, 
        unacceptable, and a clear signal to the United States that 
        greater attention be paid to the nuclear program of the PRC;
            (6) the President should, within 90 days after the date on 
        which this resolution is adopted, submit to the Congress a 
        comprehensive report on how to accommodate Taiwan's strong 
        aspiration for participation in international organizations, in 
        particular the functional organizations such as the World Trade 
        Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the 
        International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the 
        International Maritime Organization, the International Civil 
        Aviation Organization, the International Telecommunications 
        Union, and INTELSAT;
            (7) the President should review the defense needs of the 
        ROC, under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act, and take 
        appropriate actions on the basis of that review; and
            (8) the President should, within 30 days after the date on 
        which this resolution is adopted, submit to the Congress a 
        report on the range of options available to provide the people 
        of Taiwan, and the 100,000 United States forces in the east 
        Asian region, with adequate warning and defense capabilities 
        against ballistic missiles of the PRC and naval blockades and 
        other forms of military aggression by the PRC.
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