[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 301 Referred in Senate (RFS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 301


_______________________________________________________________________


                 IN THE SENATE OF THE THE UNITED STATES

                             July 21, 1998

      Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
           Affirming the United States commitment to Taiwan.

Whereas at no time since the establishment of the People's Republic of China on 
        October 1, 1949, has Taiwan been under the control of the People's 
        Republic of China;
Whereas the United States began its long, peaceful, friendly relationship with 
        Taiwan in 1949;
Whereas since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, the policy of 
        the United States has been based on 
    the expectation that the further relationship between the People's Republic 
        of China and Taiwan would be determined by peaceful means;
Whereas in March 1996, the People's Republic of China held provocative military 
        maneuvers including missile launch exercises in the Taiwan Strait, in an 
        attempt to intimidate the people of Taiwan during their historic, free, 
        and democratic Presidential election;
Whereas officials of the People's Republic of China refuse to renounce the use 
        of force against democratic Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan has achieved significant political and economic strength as one 
        of the world's premier democracies and as the 19th largest economy in 
        the world;
Whereas Taiwan is the 7th largest trading partner of the United States;
Whereas no agreements exist between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan 
        that determine the future status of Taiwan; and
Whereas the House of Representatives passed a resolution by a vote of 411-0 in 
        June 1998 urging the President to seek, during his recent summit meeting 
        in Beijing, a public renunciation by the People's Republic of China of 
        any use of force, or threat of use of force, against democratic Taiwan: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) affirms its longstanding commitment to Taiwan and the 
        people of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act 
        (Public Law 96-8);
            (2) affirms its expectation, consistent with the Taiwan 
        Relations Act, that the future status of Taiwan will be 
        determined by peaceful means, and that the people of both sides 
        of the Taiwan Strait should determine their own future, and 
        considers any effort to determine or influence the future 
        status of Taiwan by other than peaceful means a threat to the 
        peace and security of the Western Pacific region and of grave 
        concern to the United States;
            (3) affirms its commitment, consistent with the Taiwan 
        Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan such defense 
        articles and defense services, including appropriate ballistic 
        missile defenses, in such quantities as may be necessary to 
        enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability;
            (4) affirms its commitment, consistent with the Taiwan 
        Relations Act, that only the President and Congress shall 
        determine the nature and quantity of defense articles and 
        services for Taiwan based solely upon their judgment of the 
        defensive needs of Taiwan;
            (5) urges the President, once again, to seek a public 
        renunciation by the People's Republic of China of any use of 
        force, or threat of use of force, against the free people of 
        Taiwan; and
            (6) affirms its strong support, in accordance with the 
        spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act, of appropriate membership 
        for Taiwan in international financial institutions and other 
        international organizations.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 1998.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.