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






                                                        Calendar No. 84
106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 17

      Concerning the 20th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 11, 1999

 Mr. Murkowski (for himself, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Lott, Mr. Helms, Mr. 
Thomas, Mr. Burns, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Rockefeller, and Mr. Daschle) submitted 
    the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

                             March 26, 1999

Reported under authority of the order of the Senate of March 25, 1999, 
    by Mr. Helms, with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble
[Strike out the preamble and all after the resolving clause and insert 
                      the part printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
      Concerning the 20th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.

<DELETED>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 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 the Republic of China on 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 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 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 the Republic of China on Taiwan routinely makes informal requests 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 bar most high-level dialog 
        regarding regional stability with senior military officials on Taiwan;
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 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
    </DELETED>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), 
<DELETED>That it is the sense of the Congress that--
        <DELETED>    (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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Congress has grave concerns over China's 
        growing arsenal of nuclear and conventionally armed ballistic 
        missiles, the movement of those missiles into a closer 
        geographic proximity to Taiwan, and the effect that the buildup 
        may have on stability in the Taiwan Strait;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the President should direct all appropriate 
        officials to raise with officials from the People's Republic of 
        China the grave concern of the United States over China's 
        growing arsenal of nuclear and conventionally armed ballistic 
        missiles, the movement of those missiles into a closer 
        geographic proximity to Taiwan, and the effect that the buildup 
        may have on stability in the Taiwan Strait;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) 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;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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 underway;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) the Secretary of Defense should inform the 
        appropriate committees of Congress when officials from Taiwan 
        seek to purchase defense articles for self-defense;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) the United States Government should encourage 
        a high-level dialog with officials of Taiwan and of other 
        United States allies in East Asia, including Japan and South 
        Korea, on the best means to ensure stability, peace, and 
        freedom of the seas in East Asia;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) 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 as well as to encourage others to adopt similar 
        policies, without making such admission conditional on the 
        previous or simultaneous admission of the People's Republic of 
        China to the World Trade Organization.</DELETED>
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.
                                     





                                                        Calendar No. 84

106th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                            S. CON. RES. 17

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

      Concerning the 20th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             March 26, 1999

      Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble