[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 38 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 38

    Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as 
            cornerstones of United States-Taiwan relations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 19, 2016

 Mr. Rubio (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Brown, and Mr. 
   Gardner) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as 
            cornerstones of United States-Taiwan relations.

Whereas the Cold War years cemented the close friendship between the United 
        States and Taiwan, with Taiwan as an anti-Communist ally in the Asia-
        Pacific;
Whereas United States economic aid prevented Taiwan from sliding into an 
        economic depression in the 1950s and greatly contributed to the island's 
        later economic takeoff;
Whereas Taiwan has flourished to become a beacon of democracy in Asia and 
        leading trade partner for the United States, and the relationship has 
        endured for more than 65 years through many shifts in Asia's 
        geopolitical landscape;
Whereas the strong relationship between the United States and Taiwan is based on 
        mutually beneficial security, commercial, and cultural ties;
Whereas Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton stated in her 
        testimony before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives on February 11, 2016, that ``the people on Taiwan have 
        built a prosperous, free, and orderly society with strong institutions, 
        worthy of emulation and envy'';
Whereas Deputy Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken stated on March 29, 2016, 
        that with Taiwan's January 2016 elections, ``the people of Taiwan showed 
        the world again what a mature, Chinese-speaking democracy looks like'';
Whereas, on January 1, 1979, when the Carter Administration established 
        diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC), it ended 
        formal diplomatic ties with the Republic of China on Taiwan;
Whereas the United States Congress acted swiftly to reaffirm the United States-
        Taiwan relationship with the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act 
        (Public Law 96-8) just 100 days later, ensuring the United States 
        maintained a robust and enduring relationship with Taiwan;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted on April 10, 1979, codifying into 
        law the basis for continued commercial, cultural, and other relations 
        between the United States and Taiwan;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted ``to help maintain peace, security, 
        and stability in the Western Pacific,'' all of which ``are in the 
        political, security, and economic interests of the United States and are 
        matters of international concern'';
Whereas the United States Congress significantly strengthened the draft 
        legislation originally submitted by the executive branch to include 
        provisions concerning Taiwan's security in the Taiwan Relations Act;
Whereas then-Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kin Moy stated in his testimony 
        before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
        on March 14, 2014, that ``[o]ur enduring relationship under the Taiwan 
        Relations Act represents a unique asset for the United States and is an 
        important multiplier of our influence in the region,'' and credited the 
        Taiwan Relations Act for having ``played such a key part in protecting 
        Taiwan's freedom of action and United States interests the last 35 years 
        in the Asia-Pacific area'';
Whereas then-Special Assistant to the President and National Security Council 
        Senior Director for Asian Affairs Evan Medeiros noted in March 2014, 
        ``The Taiwan Relations Act is an important and it's an enduring 
        expression to the people of Taiwan about our commitment to their well-
        being, their security, their economic autonomy, and their international 
        space.'';
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that ``the United States decision to 
        establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China rests 
        upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by 
        peaceful means'';
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that it is the policy of the United 
        States to ``provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character and 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'';
Whereas each successive United States Administration since the enactment of the 
        Taiwan Relations Act has provided arms of a defensive character to 
        Taiwan;
Whereas a 2015 Department of Defense report to Congress on Military and Security 
        Developments Involving the People's Republic of China stated that, 
        ``Preparing for potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait remains the 
        focus and primary driver of China's military investment'';
Whereas the United States has an abiding interest in the preservation of cross-
        Strait peace and stability, and in peace and stability in the entire 
        Asia-Pacific region;
Whereas, on July 14, 1982, as the United States negotiated with the People's 
        Republic of China over the wording of a joint communique related to 
        United States arms sales to Taiwan, President Ronald Reagan instructed 
        his representative in Taiwan, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) 
        Director James R. Lilley, to relay a set of assurances orally to 
        Taiwan's then-President Chiang Ching-kuo;
Whereas testimony before the Senate and the House of Representatives immediately 
        after the issuance of the August 17, 1982, Joint Communique with the 
        People's Republic of China, then-Assistant Secretary of State for East 
        Asian and Pacific Affairs John H. Holdridge stated on behalf of the 
        executive branch that--

    (1) ``. . . [w]e did not agree to set a date certain for ending arms 
sales to Taiwan'';

    (2) ``. . . [w]e see no mediation role for the United States'' between 
Taiwan and the PRC;

    (3) ``. . . [n]or will we attempt to exert pressure on Taiwan to enter 
into negotiations with the PRC'';

    (4) ``. . . [t]here has been no change in our longstanding position on 
the issue of sovereignty over Taiwan'';

    (5) ``[w]e have no plans to seek'' revisions to the Taiwan Relations 
Act; and

    (6) the August 17 Communique ``should not be read to imply that we have 
agreed to engage in prior consultations with Beijing on arms sales to 
Taiwan'';

Whereas these assurances, first delivered to Taiwan's President by AIT Director 
        Lilley, have come to be known as the Six Assurances;
Whereas in testimony before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives on October 4, 2011, then-Assistant Secretary of State 
        Kurt Campbell stated that the ``Taiwan Relations Act, plus the so-called 
        Six Assurances and Three Communiques, form the foundation of our overall 
        approach'' to relations with Taiwan; and
Whereas, in testimony before the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on 
        April 3, 2014, Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel stated that 
        the Six Assurances ``continue to play an important part as an element of 
        our approach to Taiwan and the situation across the strait'': Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) affirms that the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six 
        Assurances are both cornerstones of United States relations 
        with Taiwan; and
            (2) urges the President and the Secretary of State to 
        affirm the Six Assurances publicly, proactively, and 
        consistently as a cornerstone of United States-Taiwan 
        relations.
                                 <all>