[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 67 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 67

 Expressing the sense of the Congress relating to the Taiwan Relations 
                                  Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 20, 2001

    Mr. Andrews (for himself, Mr. Hefley, Mr. Riley, and Mr. Kirk) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress relating to the Taiwan Relations 
                                  Act.

Whereas for more than 50 years a close relationship has existed between the 
        United States and Taiwan which has been of enormous economic, cultural, 
        and strategic advantage to both countries;
Whereas Taiwan has demonstrated an improved record on human rights and a 
        commitment to democratic ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the 
        press, and free and fair elections routinely held in a multiparty 
        system, as evidenced on March 18, 2000, by the election of Mr. Chen 
        Shui-bian as Taiwan's new president;
Whereas April 10, 2001, will mark the 22d anniversary of the enactment of the 
        Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8), which codified in public law the 
        basis for continued commercial, cultural, and other relations between 
        the United States and Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan continues to experience a threat of missile attack across the 
        Taiwan Strait as demonstrated in March 1996 when missiles were launched 
        near its shores during military exercises by the People's Republic of 
        China;
Whereas the defense modernization and weapons procurement efforts by the 
        People's Republic of China, as documented in a December 18, 2000, report 
        by the Secretary of Defense pursuant to Public Law 106-113 on the 
        security situation in the Taiwan Strait, could threaten cross-strait 
        stability and United States interests in the Asia-Pacific region;
Whereas it is in the interest of the United States that Taiwan maintains 
        adequate forces to help maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific 
        region;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act provides explicit guarantees that the United 
        States will make available to Taiwan defense articles and services 
        necessary in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to 
        maintain a sufficient self-defense capability;
Whereas Congress and the President are committed by section 3(b) of the Taiwan 
        Relations Act to determine the nature and quantity of Taiwan's 
        legitimate self-defense needs;
Whereas in recent discussions between the United States and Taiwan on Taiwan's 
        defense needs, Taiwan clearly articulated its requirement for naval-
        based defense systems such as diesel submarines, P-3 surveillance 
        aircraft, advanced air-launched missiles, and Taiwan's coverage under 
        the proposed Theater Missile Defense System;
Whereas a recent Department of Defense review of Taiwan's defense requirements 
        concluded that in view of recent missile deployment on the Chinese coast 
        facing Taiwan the Aegis system should be released to Taiwan; and
Whereas in his January 17, 2001, confirmation hearing as Secretary of State, 
        General Colin Powell stated that ``[W]e will stand by Taiwan and will 
        provide for the defense needs of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan 
        Relations Act and subsequent communiques'': 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 (Public Law 96-8) and the specific 
        guarantees for the provision of legitimate defense articles to 
        Taiwan contained therein;
            (2) 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 Taiwan; and
            (3) the executive branch should recognize Taiwan's 
        significant defense needs and therefore approve the sale to 
        Taiwan of advanced weapons systems that are legitimately needed 
        for defensive purposes, in strict accordance with section 3(b) 
        of the Taiwan Relations Act.
                                 <all>