[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 56 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 56


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 24, 1999

      Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.

Whereas April 10, 1999, will mark the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the 
        Taiwan Relations Act, codifying in public law the basis for continued 
        commercial, cultural, and other relations between the United States and 
        Taiwan;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act was advanced by Congress and supported by the 
        executive branch as a critical tool to preserve and promote ties the 
        American people have enjoyed with the people of Taiwan;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act has been instrumental in maintaining peace, 
        security, and stability in the Taiwan Strait since its enactment in 
        1979;
Whereas when the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted in 1979, it affirmed that the 
        United States decision to establish diplomatic relations with the 
        People's Republic of China was based on the expectation that the future 
        of Taiwan would be determined by peaceful means;
Whereas officials of the People's Republic of China refuse to renounce the use 
        of force against democratic Taiwan;
Whereas the defense modernization and weapons procurement efforts by the 
        People's Republic of China, as documented in the February 1, 1999, 
        report by the Secretary of Defense on ``The Security Situation in the 
        Taiwan Strait'', could threaten cross-Strait stability and United States 
        interests in the Asia-Pacific region;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act provides explicit guarantees that the United 
        States will make available defense articles and services necessary in 
        such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a 
        sufficient self-defense capability;
Whereas section 3(b) of the Taiwan Relations Act requires timely reviews by 
        United States military authorities of Taiwan's defense needs in 
        connection with recommendations to the President and the Congress;
Whereas Congress and the President are committed by Article 3(b) of the Taiwan 
        Relations Act to determine the nature and quantity of Taiwan's 
        legitimate self-defense needs;
Whereas it is the policy of the United States to reject any attempt to curb the 
        provision by the United States of defense articles and services 
        legitimately needed for Taiwan's self-defense;
Whereas it is the policy set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act to promote 
        extensive commercial relations between the people of the United States 
        and the people of Taiwan and such commercial relations would be further 
        enhanced by Taiwan's membership in the World Trade Organization;
Whereas Taiwan today is a full-fledged multi-party democracy fully respecting 
        human rights and civil liberties and serves as a successful model of 
        democratic reform for the People's Republic of China;
Whereas it is United States policy to promote extensive cultural relations with 
        Taiwan, ties that should be further encouraged and expanded;
Whereas any attempt to determine Taiwan's future by other than peaceful means, 
        including boycotts or embargoes, would be considered a threat to the 
        peace and security of the Western Pacific and of grave concern to the 
        United States;
Whereas in the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act, which encourages the future 
        of democratic Taiwan to be determined by peaceful means, Taiwan has 
        engaged the People's Republic of China in a cross-Strait dialogue by 
        advocating that peaceful reunification be based on a democratic system 
        of government being implemented on the mainland; and
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act established the American Institute on Taiwan 
        (AIT) to carry out the programs, transactions, and other relations 
        conducted or carried out by the United States Government with respect to 
        Taiwan and AIT should be recognized for the successful role it has 
        played in sustaining and enhancing United States relations with Taiwan: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
    That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the United States should reaffirm its commitment to the 
        Taiwan Relations Act and the specific guarantees for the 
        provision of legitimate defense articles to Taiwan contained 
        therein;
            (2) the Congress has grave concerns over China's military 
        modernization and weapons procurement program, especially 
        ballistic missile capability and deployment that seem 
        particularly directed toward threatening Taiwan;
            (3) the President should direct all appropriate officials 
        to raise these grave concerns about new Chinese military 
        threats to Taiwan with officials from the People's Republic of 
        China;
            (4) the President should seek from leaders of the People's 
        Republic of China a public renunciation of any use of force, or 
        threat to use force, against Taiwan;
            (5) the President should provide annually a report 
        detailing the military balance on both sides of the Taiwan 
        Strait, including the impact of procurement and modernization 
        programs;
            (6) the executive branch should inform the appropriate 
        committees of Congress when officials from Taiwan seek to 
        purchase defense articles for self-defense;
            (7) the United States Government should encourage a 
        regional high-level dialogue on the best means to ensure 
        stability, peace, and freedom of the seas in East Asia;
            (8) the President should encourage further dialogue between 
        democratic Taiwan and the People's Republic of China; and
            (9) it should be United States policy in conformity with 
        Article 4(d) of the Taiwan Relations Act to publicly support 
        Taiwan's admission to the World Trade Organization as soon as 
        possible on its own merits and encourage others to adopt 
        similar policies.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 23, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.