[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 29 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 29

 Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should resume 
    normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2013

   Mr. McCaul (for himself and Mr. Andrews) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should resume 
    normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and for other purposes.

Whereas the people of Taiwan have established a vibrant and pluralistic 
        democracy only 20 years ago;
Whereas since then, the people of Taiwan have conducted five successful 
        presidential elections, successive elections for members of their 
        national legislature, numerous local elections, and two national 
        referendums;
Whereas Taiwan has never been under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of 
        China, which continues to illegitimately claim sovereignty over Taiwan 
        and its 23,000,000 citizens;
Whereas the Shanghai Communique, which maintains that there is ``One China'' and 
        that ``Taiwan is part of China'', was established without the 
        consultation of Congress or the people of Taiwan;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has since used the ``One China Policy'' 
        to block Taiwan's membership and full participation in international 
        organizations and events, ranging from the United Nations and the World 
        Health Organization to the Olympics;
Whereas the ``One China Policy'' is effectively obsolete, and does not the 
        reflect the obvious reality that Taiwan has functioned as an independent 
        and sovereign country for over half a century;
Whereas the only other countries in the world with which the United States does 
        not have diplomatic relations are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea;
Whereas Taiwan maintains diplomatic, cultural, and economic relations with 
        several countries around the world;
Whereas Taiwan and the United States maintained formal diplomatic relations 
        until 1979;
Whereas former President Jimmy Carter severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 
        1979 and terminated the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States 
        and Taiwan without consulting or seeking the approval of Congress;
Whereas Congress responded later that year by adopting the Taiwan Relations Act, 
        codifying in law the basis for continued friendly relations between the 
        United States and Taiwan;
Whereas former President Ronald Reagan issued the ``Six Assurances'' to Taiwan 
        in July 1982, including the assurance that ``[t]he United States would 
        not formally recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.'';
Whereas both the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances form the 
        cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations; and
Whereas Taiwan has been a steadfast ally of the United States and a responsible 
        and compassionate member of the world community: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the President should abandon the fundamentally flawed 
        ``One China Policy'' in favor of a more realistic ``One China, 
        One Taiwan Policy'' that recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign and 
        independent country, separate from the undemocratic Government 
        of the People's Republic of China in Beijing;
            (2) the President should begin the process of resuming 
        normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan; and
            (3) the President, the Permanent Representative of the 
        United States to the United Nations, and other relevant United 
        States officials should aggressively support Taiwan's full 
        participation in the United Nations and any other international 
        organization of which the United States is a member, and for 
        which statehood is a requirement for membership.
                                 <all>