[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 11 (Thursday, January 19, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1236-S1238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 3--RELATIVE TO TAIWAN AND THE UNITED
NATIONS
Mr. SIMON (for himself and Mr. Brown) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations:
S. Con. Res. 3
Whereas, China has been a divided nation since 1949, and
the governments of the Republic of China on Taiwan
(hereinafter cited as ``Taiwan'') and the People's Republic
of China on Mainland China (hereinafter cited as ``Mainland
China'') have exercised exclusive jurisdiction over separate
parts of China;
Whereas, Taiwan has the 19th largest gross national product
in the world, a strong and vibrant economy, and one of the
largest foreign exchange reserves of any nation;
Whereas, Taiwan has dramatically improved its record on
human rights and routinely holds free and fair elections in a
multiparty system, as evidenced most recently by the December
3, 1994 balloting for local and provincial officials;
Whereas, the 21 million people on Taiwan are not
represented in the United Nations and their human rights as
citizens of the world are therefore severely abridged;
Whereas, Taiwan has in recent years repeatedly expressed
its strong desire to participate in the United Nations;
Whereas, Taiwan has much to contribute to the work and
funding of the United Nations;
Whereas, Taiwan has demonstrated its commitment to the
world community by responding to international disasters and
crises such as environmental destruction in the Persian Gulf
and famine in Rwanda by providing financial donations,
medical assistance, and other forms of aid;
Whereas, the world community has reacted positively to
Taiwan's desire for international participation, as shown by
Taiwan's continued membership in the Asian Development Bank,
the admission of Taiwan into the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation group as a full member, and the accession of
Taiwan as an observer at the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade as the first step toward becoming a contracting party
to that organization;
Whereas, The United States has supported Taiwan's
participation in these bodies and indicated, in its policy
review of September 1994, a stronger and more active policy
of support for Taiwan's participation in other international
organizations; [[Page S1238]]
Whereas, Taiwan has repeatedly stated that its
participation in international organizations is that of a
divided nation, with no intention to challenge the current
international status of Mainland China;
Whereas, the United Nations and other international
organizations have established precedents concerning the
admission of separate parts of divided nations, such as Korea
and Germany; and
Whereas, Taiwan's participation in international
organizations would not prevent or imperil a future voluntary
union between Taiwan and Mainland China any more than the
recognition of separate governments in the former West
Germany and the former East Germany prevented the voluntary
reunification of Germany;
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) Taiwan deserves full participation, including a seat,
in the United Nations; and
(2) the government of the United States should immediately
encourage the United Nations to establish an ad hoc committee
for the purpose of studying membership for Taiwan in that
organization and its related agencies.
Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, there are more than 180 countries in the
United Nations. They range from the world's largest countries in area,
in population, in economic output, down to some very small countries
indeed, countries that are smaller than some counties in my own State
of Illinois. I have nothing against those small countries being members
of the United Nations. On the contrary, I feel that any country capable
of making a real contribution to the activities of the United Nations
should have the opportunity to do so as a full member of that
organization.
For that reason, it is all the more unfortunate that a country of 21
million people, a country that has made great strides in consolidating
democratic institutions and practices, a country that has become a
significant economic power and a major contributor to international
assistance efforts--that such a country should find itself closed out
of the United Nations.
I am speaking, of course, of Taiwan.
Together with my cosponsor, Senator Brown, I am pleased to submit
today a Senate Concurrent Resolution that reaffirms, as the sense of
the Senate, what many of us in this Chamber have already concluded:
That Taiwan deserves to participate fully in the United Nations as a
full member, and that the U.S. Government should encourage the United
Nations to begin studying means to bring this about. Congressman
Solomon introduced an identical resolution, House Concurrent Resolution
8, earlier this month.
I would especially like to call my colleagues' attention to a
particular element of this resolution: namely, that in seeking
membership in the United Nations and other international institutions,
Taipei does not intend to challenge the current international status of
Beijing. Rather, Taiwan would seek admission as part of a divided
nation. There are precedents for this; this has worked before. East and
West Germany were admitted to the United Nations as separate parts of a
divided nation; North and South Korea were admitted to the United
Nations as separate parts of a divided nation.
I am pleased that, last June, the Senate agreed to by voice vote a
similar resolution expressing the sense that Taiwan should be brought
into the United Nations. There have been some changes in the political
makeup of the Congress since then. I think that is all the more reason,
then, that the Senate should go on record and affirm something that has
not changed: Our support for Taiwan's integration into international
institutions. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
____________________