[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 17 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 17

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

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 
        democratic Republic of China on Taiwan;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act was advanced by Congress and supported by the 
        executive branch as a critical tool to preserve and promote extensive, 
        close, and friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between 
        the United States and 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, it reaffirmed that the United 
        States decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People's 
        Republic of China is based upon the expectation that the future of 
        Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means;
Whereas officials of the People's Republic of China refuse to renounce the use 
        of force against 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 and East Asian stability 
        and United States interests in the East Asia region;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act provides explicit guarantees that the United 
        States will make available defense articles and defense services in such 
        quantities as may be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-
        defense capability;
Whereas 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 Congress;
Whereas Congress and the President are committed by section 3(b) of the Taiwan 
        Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3302(b)) to determine the nature and quantity 
        of what Taiwan's legitimate needs are for its self-defense;
Whereas Taiwan routinely makes informal requests for defense articles and 
        defense services to United States Government officials, which are 
        discouraged or declined informally by United States Government 
        personnel;
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 defense services 
        legitimately needed for Taiwan's self-defense;
Whereas it is the current executive branch policy to limit most high-level 
        dialog regarding regional stability with Taiwan senior military 
        officials;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act sets forth the policy to promote extensive 
        commercial relations between the people of the United States and the 
        people on Taiwan, and that policy is advanced by membership in the World 
        Trade Organization;
Whereas Taiwan completed its bilateral market access negotiations with the 
        United States on February 20, 1998, and all countries which asked to 
        negotiate bilateral agreements with Taiwan have concluded those 
        agreements, although Canada has reopened negotiations on certain 
        products;
Whereas the human rights provisions in the Taiwan Relations Act helped stimulate 
        the democratization of Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan today is a full-fledged, multiparty democracy that fully respects 
        human rights and civil liberties and, as such, serves as a successful 
        model of democratic reform for the People's Republic of China;
Whereas it is the policy of the United States to promote extensive cultural 
        relations between the United States and 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 as a threat to the 
        peace and security of the Western Pacific and of grave concern to the 
        United States;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act established the American Institute in Taiwan to 
        carry out the programs, transactions, and other relations of the United 
        States with respect to Taiwan; and
Whereas the American Institute in Taiwan has played a successful role in 
        sustaining and enhancing United States relations with Taiwan: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 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 of provision 
        of legitimate defense articles to Taiwan contained therein;
            (2) the Congress has grave concerns over China's growing 
        arsenal of nuclear and conventionally armed ballistic missiles 
        adjacent to Taiwan, and the effect that the buildup may have on 
        stability in the Taiwan Strait, and United States government 
        officials should continue to raise these concerns with 
        officials of the People's Republic of China;
            (3) the President should seek from the leaders of the 
        People's Republic of China a public renunciation of any use of 
        force, or threat to use force, against democratic Taiwan;
            (4) 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 underway;
            (5) the Secretary of Defense should make available to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress the annual military 
        requirements list submitted by Taiwan;
            (6) it should be United States policy to encourage the 
        participation of Taiwan in a high-level regional dialog on the 
        best means of ensuring stability, peace, and freedom of the 
        seas in East Asia; and
            (7) it should be United States policy, in conformity with 
        the spirit of section 4(d) of the Taiwan Relations Act (22 
        U.S.C. 3303(d)), to publicly support Taiwan's admission to the 
        World Trade Organization forthwith, on its own merits, and 
        consistent with the bilateral market access agreement with the 
        United States.

            Passed the Senate April 12, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
106th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                            S. CON. RES. 17

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

      Concerning the 20th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.