[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 148 Engrossed Amendment Senate (EAS)]

  
  
  
  
  
  

                  In the Senate of the United States,

                                                        March 21, 1996.
      Resolved, That the resolution from the House of Representatives 
(H. Con. Res. 148) entitled ``Concurrent resolution expressing the 
sense of the Congress that the United States is committed to military 
stability in the Taiwan Strait and the United States should assist in 
defending the Republic of China (also known as Taiwan) in the event of 
invasion, missile attack, or blockade by the People's Republic of 
China.'', do pass with the following

                               AMENDMENTS

        Strike out all after the resolving clause, and insert:
That it is the sense of the Congress--
            (1) to deplore the missile tests and military exercises 
        that the People's Republic of China is conducting from March 8 
        through March 25, 1996, and view such tests and exercises as 
        potentially serious threats to the peace, security, and 
        stability of Taiwan and not in the spirit of the three United 
        States-China Joint Communiques;
            (2) to urge the Government of the People's Republic of 
        China to cease its bellicose actions directed at Taiwan and 
        enter instead into meaningful dialogue with the Government of 
        Taiwan at the highest levels, such as through the Straits 
        Exchange Foundation in Taiwan and the Association for Relations 
        Across the Taiwan Strait in Beijing, with an eye towards 
        decreasing tensions and resolving the issue of the future of 
        Taiwan;
            (3) that the President should, consistent with section 3(c) 
        of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (22 U.S.C. 3302(c)), 
        immediately consult with Congress on an appropriate United 
        States response to the tests and exercises should the tests or 
        exercises pose an actual threat to the peace, security, and 
        stability of Taiwan;
            (4) that the President should, consistent with the Taiwan 
        Relations Act of 1979 (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), reexamine the 
        nature and quantity of defense articles and services that may 
        be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-
        defense capability in light of the heightened military threat; 
        and
            (5) that the Government of Taiwan should remain committed 
        to the peaceful resolution of its future relations with the 
        People's Republic of China by mutual decision.

            Strike out the preamble, and insert:

    Whereas the People's Republic of China, in a clear attempt to 
            intimidate the people and Government of Taiwan, has over 
            the past 9 months conducted a series of military exercises, 
            including missile tests, within alarmingly close proximity 
            to Taiwan;
    Whereas from March 8 through March 15, 1996, the People's Republic 
            of China conducted a series of missile tests within 25 to 
            35 miles of the 2 principal northern and southern ports of 
            Taiwan, Kaohsiung and Keelung;
    Whereas on March 12, 1996, the People's Republic of China began an 
            8-day, live-ammunition, joint sea-and-air military exercise 
            in a 2,390 square mile area in the southern Taiwan Strait;
    Whereas on March 18, 1996, the People's Republic of China began a 
            7-day, live-ammunition, joint sea-and-air military exercise 
            between Taiwan's islands of Matsu and Wuchu;
    Whereas these tests and exercises are a clear escalation of the 
            attempts by the People's Republic of China to intimidate 
            Taiwan and influence the outcome of the upcoming democratic 
            presidential election in Taiwan;
    Whereas through the administrations of Presidents Nixon, Ford, 
            Carter, Reagan, and Bush, the United States has adhered to 
            a ``One China'' policy and, during the administration of 
            President Clinton, the United States continues to adhere to 
            the ``One China'' policy based on the Shanghai Communique 
            of February 27, 1972, the Joint Communique on the 
            Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between the United 
            States of America and the People's Republic of China of 
            January 1, 1979, and the United States-China Joint 
            Communique of August 17, 1982;
    Whereas through the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, 
            and Bush, the United States has adhered to the provisions 
            of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (22 U.S.C. 3301 et 
            seq.) as the basis for continuing commercial, cultural, and 
            other relations between the people of the United States and 
            the people of Taiwan and, during the administration of 
            President Clinton, the United States continues to adhere to 
            the provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979;
    Whereas relations between the United States and the Peoples' 
            Republic of China rest upon the expectation that the future 
            of Taiwan will be settled solely by peaceful means;
    Whereas the strong interest of the United States in the peaceful 
            settlement of the Taiwan question is one of the central 
            premises of the three United States-China Joint Communiques 
            and was codified in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979;
    Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states that peace and 
            stability in the western Pacific ``are in the political, 
            security, and economic interests of the United States, and 
            are matters of international concern'';
    Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states that the United 
            States considers ``any effort to determine the future of 
            Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including by boycotts, 
            or embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of the 
            western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United 
            States'';
    Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 directs the President to 
            ``inform Congress promptly of any threat to the security or 
            the social or economic system of the people on Taiwan and 
            any danger to the interests of the United States arising 
            therefrom'';
    Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 further directs that ``the 
            President and the Congress shall determine, in accordance 
            with constitutional process, appropriate action by the 
            United States in response to any such danger'';
    Whereas the United States, the People's Republic of China, and the 
            Government of Taiwan have each previously expressed their 
            commitment to the resolution of the Taiwan question through 
            peaceful means; and
    Whereas these missile tests and military exercises, and the 
            accompanying statements made by the Government of the 
            People's Republic of China, call into serious question the 
            commitment of China to the peaceful resolution of the 
            Taiwan question: Now, therefore, be it.

            Amend the title so as to read: ``Expressing the sense of 
        Congress regarding missile tests and military exercises by the 
        People's Republic of China.''.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
104th CONGRESS

  2d Session 

                            H. CON. RES. 148

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                               AMENDMENTS