[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 114 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 114

 Expressing the sense of the Senate that the transfer of Hong Kong to 
 the People's Republic of China not alter the current or future status 
              of Taiwan as a free and democratic country.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 1997

Mr. Torricelli (for himself and Mr. Brownback) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate that the transfer of Hong Kong to 
 the People's Republic of China not alter the current or future status 
              of Taiwan as a free and democratic country.

Whereas Hong Kong was acquired by the United Kingdom in 1898 and leased from 
        China for 99 years;
Whereas the treaty through which the Hong Kong territory was leased from China 
        expired on July 1, 1997, at which time Hong Kong reverted to China;
Whereas no treaties exist between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan 
        which determine the future status of Taiwan, and, unlike Hong Kong, 
        Taiwan has been de facto independent since 1949;
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, That it is the sense of the Senate 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 in accordance with the 
        principle of self-determination, as outlined in the Charter of 
        the United Nations; 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>