[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 178 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 178

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the transfer of Hong Kong to 
 the People's Republic of China not alter the current or future status 
                  of the Republic of China on Taiwan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 28, 1997

 Mr. Deutsch submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the transfer of Hong Kong to 
 the People's Republic of China not alter the current or future status 
                  of the Republic of China on Taiwan.

Whereas on June 9, 1898, the ``Convention Respecting an Extension of Hong Kong 
        Territory'' was agreed to between representatives of the governments of 
        Great Britain and China to lease the New Territories for the period of 
        99 years beginning on July 1, 1898;
Whereas on December 19, 1984, the ``Sino-British Joint Declaration'', agreed to 
        between representatives of the governments of Great Britain and China, 
        established the terms for the return to China on July 1, 1997, of the 
        Hong Kong area (including the Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New 
        Territories (hereafter in this resolution referred to as ``Hong Kong'');
Whereas no treaties exist between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan 
        which determine the future status of Taiwan;
Whereas the People's Republic of China attempts to apply to Taiwan the formula 
        commonly known as ``one country, two systems'' in an effort to annex 
        Taiwan to China;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has refused to renounce the use of force 
        against Taiwan and held military exercises in the Taiwan Strait in March 
        1996 in an attempt to intimidate the people of Taiwan in their first 
        presidential elections; and
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that ``[i]t is the policy of the United 
        States . . . to consider 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'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the transfer of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of 
        China does not alter the current and future status of Taiwan;
            (2) the future of Taiwan should be determined by peaceful 
        means through a democratic process; and
            (3) the United States should assist in the defense of 
        Taiwan in case of threats or military attack by the People's 
        Republic of China against Taiwan.
                                 <all>