[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 98 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 98


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 17, 2005

      Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the recent passage 
  of the anti-secession law by the National People's Congress of the 
                      People's Republic of China.

Whereas on December 9, 2003, President George W. Bush stated it is the policy of 
        the United States to ``oppose any unilateral decision, by either China 
        or Taiwan, to change the status quo'';
Whereas in the past few years, the Government of the United States has urged 
        both Taiwan and the People's Republic of China to maintain restraint;
Whereas the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China passed 
        its anti-secession law on March 14, 2005, which constitutes a unilateral 
        change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait;
Whereas the passage of China's anti-secession law escalates tensions between 
        Taiwan and the People's Republic of China and is an impediment to cross-
        strait dialogue;
Whereas the purpose of China's anti-secession law is to create a legal framework 
        for possible use of force against Taiwan and mandates Chinese military 
        action under certain circumstances, including when ``possibilities for a 
        peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted'';
Whereas the Department of Defense's Report on the Military Power of the People's 
        Republic of China for Fiscal Year 2004 documents that, as of 2003, the 
        Government of the People's Republic of China had deployed approximately 
        500 short-range ballistic missiles against Taiwan;
Whereas the escalating arms buildup of missiles and other offensive weapons by 
        the People's Republic of China in areas adjacent to the Taiwan Strait is 
        a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area;
Whereas given the recent positive developments in cross-strait relations, 
        including the Lunar New Year charter flights and new proposals for 
        cross-strait exchanges, it is particularly unfortunate that the National 
        People's Congress adopted this legislation;
Whereas since its enactment in 1979, the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et 
        seq.), which codified in law the basis for continued commercial, 
        cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States 
        and the people of Taiwan, has been instrumental in maintaining peace, 
        security, and stability in the Taiwan Strait;
Whereas section 2(b)(2) of the Taiwan Relations Act declares that ``peace and 
        stability in the area are in the political, security, and economic 
        interests of the United States, and are matters of international 
        concern'';
Whereas, at the time the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted into law, section 
        2(b)(3) of such Act made clear that the United States decision to 
        establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China 
        rested upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan would be 
        determined by peaceful means;
Whereas section 2(b)(4) of the Taiwan Relations Act declares it 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'';
Whereas section 2(b)(6) of the Taiwan Relations Act declares it the policy of 
        the United States ``to maintain the capacity of the United States to 
        resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would 
        jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people 
        on Taiwan''; and
Whereas any attempt to determine Taiwan's future by other than peaceful means 
        and other than with the express consent of the people of Taiwan would be 
        considered of grave concern to the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the anti-secession law of the People's Republic of 
        China provides a legal justification for the use of force 
        against Taiwan, altering the status quo in the region, and thus 
        is of grave concern to the United States;
            (2) the President of the United States should direct all 
        appropriate officials of the United States Government to 
        reflect the grave concern with which the United States views 
        the passage of China's anti-secession law in particular, and 
        the growing Chinese military threats to Taiwan in general, to 
        their counterpart officials in the Government of the People's 
        Republic of China;
            (3) the Government of the United States should reaffirm its 
        policy that the future of Taiwan should be resolved by peaceful 
        means and with the consent of the people of Taiwan; and
            (4) the Government of the United States should continue to 
        encourage dialogue between Taiwan and the People's Republic of 
        China.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 16, 2005.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.