[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 2, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H4449-H4454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING A VISIT BY THE PRESIDENT OF
THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 53) expressing the sense of the
Congress regarding a private visit by President Lee Teng-hui of the
Republic of China on Taiwan to the United States, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 53
Whereas United States diplomatic and economic security
interests in East Asia have caused the United States to
maintain a policy of recognizing the People's Republic of
China while maintaining solidarity with the democratic
aspirations of the people of Taiwan;
Whereas the Republic of China on Taiwan (known as Taiwan)
is the United States sixth largest trading partner and an
economic powerhouse buying more than twice as much annually
from the United States as do the 1,200,000,000 Chinese of the
People's Republic of China;
Whereas the American people are eager for expanded trade
opportunities with Taiwan, the possessor of the world's
second largest foreign exchange reserves;
Whereas the United States interests are served by
supporting democracy and human rights abroad;
Whereas Taiwan is a model emerging democracy, with a free
press, free elections, stable democratic institutions, and
human rights protections;
Whereas vigorously contested elections conducted on Taiwan
in December 1994 were extraordinarily free and fair;
Whereas the United States interests are best served by
policies that treat Taiwan's leaders with respect and
dignity;
Whereas President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan, a Ph.D. graduate
of Cornell University, has been invited to pay a private
visit to his alma mater and to attend the annual USA-ROC
Economic Council Conference in Anchorage, Alaska;
Whereas there are no legitimate grounds for excluding
President Lee Teng-hui from paying private visits;
Whereas the Senate of the United States voted several times
in 1994 to welcome President Lee to visit the United States;
and
Whereas Public Law 103-416 provides that the President of
Taiwan shall be welcome in the United States at any time to
discuss a host of important bilateral issues: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the
President should promptly indicate that the United States
will welcome a private visit by President Lee Teng-hui to his
alma mater, Cornell University, and will welcome a transit
stop by President Lee in Anchorage, Alaska, to attend the
USA-ROC Economic Council Conference.
Sec. 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall
transmit a copy of this concurrent resolution to the
President.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the
gentleman from California [Mr. Berman] will be recognized for 20
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter].
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific,
this Member rises in strong support for House Concurrent Resolution 53,
expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States should
grant a visa to President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan for a private visit to
the United States to receive an honorary degree from his alma mater,
Cornell University.
This Member commends the initiative of the author of this resolution,
the distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos]. This Member
would also commend the chairman of the International Relations
Committee, the distinguished gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] for
bringing this resolution before this body in a timely manner.
Action of the House International Relations Committee on this
resolution has demonstrated overwhelming bipartisan sentiment that the
United States should grant a visa to President Lee for such a private
visit. On April 5, the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and the
full Committee on International Relations unanimously endorsed the
resolution. It continues to be this Member's view that issuance of a
visitor's visa to President Lee is not inconsistent with the United
States ``One China'' policy which limits official contact with Taiwan.
Moreover, this Member believes that issuance of the visa is only
fitting considering our close economic ties with Taiwan and the
democratic strides made by President Lee's government.
The United States pioneered, through the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979
and the establishment of the American Institute in Taiwan, the
successful maintenance of unofficial ties with Taiwan. Even as the
United States shifted its official recognition in 1979 from Taipei to
Beijing, the Congress made it clear to the Chinese that the United
States would maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial ties
with Taiwan. Moreover, as mandated by the Taiwan Relations Act, the
United States provides defense material and training to Taiwan to
enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.
The question then is: Why the President of Taiwan would not be
permitted to make a private visit to the United States to receive an
honorary degree at
[[Page H4450]] his alma mater? The State Department's response is that,
and I quote, ``a visit by a person of President Lee's title and
symbolic importance, whether or not the visit were termed `private,'
would unavoidably be seen by the People's Republic of China as removing
an essential element of unofficiality in the United States-Taiwan
relationship.'' That may be the case, even though that is not an
objective conclusion by the PRC, but that conclusion on their part
should not be the determining factor in the administration's decision.
The State Department is obviously correct in noting that we have
major interests in maintaining a positive relationship with Beijing. In
fact this gentleman is committed to improving and deepening that
relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of
China. In several of my statements as chairman of this subcommittee,
for example, this Member has stressed his view that we should not
isolate or demonize China. But, at the same time, we cannot let Beijing
dictate to us who can or cannot make a private visit to his alma mater
in the United States. What this resolution is endorsing is a very
reasonable and specifically limited exception from the current U.S.
policy. The State Department seems to have ignored one key principle
when making this decision. That principle is that our foreign policy,
if it is to be sustainable with the American people and Congress, must
meet the commonsense test. In this Member's view, refusing to grant a
visitor's visa to the President of a thriving democratic friend of the
United States, who would enter our country simply to receive an
honorary degree at his alma mater, does not make sense. It is not a
commonsense,
foreign policy judgment. The resolution before us today would call for
the administration to make an exception to its policy in this instance
so that President Lee can visit Ithaca, NY, to receive an honorary
degree from his alma mater, Cornell University.
Mr. Speaker, this Member will vote for House Concurrent Resolution 53
and urges all his colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. BERMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 53, which
expresses the sense of Congress regarding a private visit by President
Lee Teng-hui of the Republic of China on Taiwan to the United States,
passed out of the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee on April 5 on an 8-
to-0 vote and was voted out of the full committee on the same day on a
32-to-0 vote.
I was an original cosponsor of the resolution, along with my
colleague, the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], chairman of the
subcommittee, having written the Secretary of State urging a change in
our policy.
President Lee, as the first native-born President of Taiwan,
represents more than anything else a beacon of hope to Taiwanese eager
to gain recognition for their accomplishments. Taiwan has emerged as a
major world economic power, becoming the United States sixth largest
export market and our second largest market in Asia after Japan. We
sell about twice as much to Taiwan as we do to the People's Republic of
China.
Taiwan, under the leadership of President Lee, has made dramatic
political progress. Democratic elections have been held. In 1996, for
the first time there will be direct elections for the President.
Despite these positive developments, we treat Taiwan as a second-
class, not a world-class citizen. This resolution attempts to rectify
that imbalance by demonstrating congressional support for a change in
administration policy.
I think the administration is beginning to understand the need for a
policy change. Last September the administration announced a welcome
change in our policy toward Taiwan which included permitting high level
official visits. During a meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister
this April, April 17, Secretary of State Christopher, according to the
State Department, ``made clear that the American public and
particularly the American Congress do not understand the Chinese
position opposing a Lee visit.'' He noted that ``many people in
Congress, including good friends of Beijing, do not understand why a
visit to the alma mater to pick up an honorary degree would have to be
seen as official in nature.''
Allowing President Lee to visit the United States and officially to
receive an honorary degree at his alma mater, Cornell University,
should not be interpreted by the Chinese as a slap at them but rather a
recognition of our continuing friendship with Taiwan. Nor should this
be seen as an effort to undermine or alter the administration's One
China policy. A change in our policy concerning a visit by the
Taiwanese President does not and should not be seen by China as
constituting a change in our policy toward China. Nothing in the Taiwan
Relations Act or the joint communiques address the issue of high level
visits.
Mr. Speaker, if the administration does not change its policy to
permit President Lee to make an unofficial visit, I believe Congress
will attempt to mandate a change in policy. House Concurrent Resolution
53 sends a strong signal of bipartisan sentiment on this issue that I
hope the administration will heed.
I join with the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] in urging this
body to pass this resolution unanimously.
Mr. Speaker, House Concurrence Resolution 53, ``Expressing the sense
of the Congress regarding a private visit by President Lee Teng-hui of
the Republic of China on Taiwan to the United States,'' passed out of
the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee on April 5 on an 8-to-0 vote and
was voted out of the full committee on the same day on a 32-to-0 vote.
I was an original cosponsor of the resolution. I have also written the
Secretary of State urging a change in our policy.
Allowing President Lee to visit the United States unofficially to
receive an honorary degree at his alma mater, Cornell University,
should not be interpreted by the Chinese as a slap at them but a
recognition of our continuing friendship with Taiwan. Nor should this
be seen as an effort to undermine or alter the administration's One
China policy. A change in our policy concerning a visit by the
Taiwanese President does not and should not be seen by China as
constituting a change in our policy toward China. Nothing in the Taiwan
Relations Act or the joint communiques addresses the issue of high
level visits.
President Lee, as the first native-born President of Taiwan,
represents more than anything else a beacon of hope to Taiwanese eager
to gain recognition for their accomplishments.
Taiwan has emerged as a major world economic power, becoming the
United States sixth largest export market and our second largest market
in Asia, after Japan. We sell about twice as much to Taiwan as we do
the People's Republic of China.
Taiwan, under the leadership of President Lee, has made dramatic
political progress. Democratic elections have been held. In 1996 for
the first there will be direct elections for the president.
Despite these positive developments, we treat Taiwan as a second-
class, not a world-class, citizen. This resolution attempts to rectify
that imbalance by demonstrating congressional support for a change in
administration policy: Let Lee come.
I think the administration is beginning to understand the need for a
policy change. Last September, the administration announced a welcome
change in our policy toward Taiwan which included permitting high level
official visits.
During a meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister on April 17,
Secretary Christopher, according to the State Department, ``made clear
that the American public and particularly the American Congress do not
understand the Chinese position opposing a Lee visit.'' He noted that
``many people in Congress, including good friends, of Beijing, do not
understand why a visit to the alma mater to pick up an honorary degree
would have to be seen as official in nature.''
If the administration does not change its policy to permit President
Lee to make an unofficial visit, I believe Congress may attempt to
mandate a change in policy. House Concurrence Resolution 53 sends a
strong signal of bipartisan sentiment on this issue that I hope the
administration will heed.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], chairman of the Subcommittee on
International Operations and Human Rights of the Committee on
International Relations.
[[Page H4451]] (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our good chairman of the
Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr.
Bereuter], and the ranking minority member, the gentleman from
California [Mr. Berman], for bringing this important resolution before
us today. I also want to commend the author, the gentleman from
California [Mr. Lantos], for crafting this resolution, House Concurrent
Resolution 53 regarding approval of a private visit by President Lee or
the Republic of China on Taiwan.
Taiwan is a democracy, yet its President cannot visit our Nation.
There are no political prisoners in Taiwan, yet its President is
prohibited from visiting our Nation.
When the Charter of the United Nations was signed on June 26, 1945,
in San Francisco, the nationalist regime in China was one of the
cosigners and founding members, yet the head of that Government is not
allowed to visit our Nation.
This is unacceptable. This injustice must not be allowed to continue.
And I agree with the minority party in Taiwan, the DPP, that their
Nation's President should be welcomed here in a way befitting Taiwan's
stature, a visit to receive an honorary degree is a far cry from a
visit to the White House.
If President Lee desires to accept an invitation to go to Cornell,
then he should be allowed to go to Cornell.
The People's Republic of China can commit acts of aggression against
citizens of the Philippines in the South China Sea and yet the State
Department has nothing to say about that. But when a leader of a
democratic nation wants to peacefully travel to the United States, we
find a reason to intervene.
The authorities in Beijing continue to hold Wei Jingsheng, who was
arrested after Assistant Secretary John Shattuck met with him, but the
State Department does not prevent them from visiting the United States.
The authorities in Beijing continue to engage in proliferation of
dangerous weapons to dangerous regimes but the State Department has not
stopped visits by Chinese military personnel to our country.
Authorities from the Chinese puppet regime in Tibet have their visit
to the United States paid for by USIA with State's approval, yet his
holiness the Dalai Lama is given a cold shoulder by the State
Department when he visits us.
Enough is enough. We have to put some balance back into our
relationship with Taiwan and Beijing.
President Lee should be allowed to visit the United States and we
urge the administration to approve his visit.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 9 minutes to the gentleman from
California [Mr. Lantos], the sponsor of the legislation and the
distinguished ranking member of the Subcommittee on International
Relations and Human Rights.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member of
the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific for yielding time to me.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the chairman of the subcommittee, the
gentleman from California [Mr. Bereuter], and the chairman of the
Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from New York [Mr.
Gilman], for their strong support of this resolution. I think it is
ironic, Mr. Speaker, that we are dealing with this issue today at a
time when our administration is proposing principled and courageous
action with respect to the terrorist regime of Iran. It seems to me
that our administration deserves a great deal of support and
commendation for its courageous and powerful move against the terrorist
regime in Teheran at the same time it merits criticism for continuing
an unprincipled and spineless policy towards our friends on Taiwan.
I should point out, Mr. Speaker, that this is not a new policy. The
Reagan administration had the same unprincipled and spineless policy.
The Bush administration had the same unprincipled and spineless policy.
I profoundly regret that the current administration has chosen not to
change that policy, so it is up to the Congress to change that policy.
In 1968 an enormously talented young scholar from Taiwan received a
Ph.D. degree from one of our most distinguished universities, Cornell
University. That man went on to become the President of our friend, the
Republic of China on Taiwan. Now Cornell University has chosen to honor
him with an honorary doctorate, and in an unconscionable fashion our
Government would want to exclude this distinguished scholar and
statesman from going back to his own alma mater to receive an honorary
doctorate. This is a policy which is unacceptable to the Congress of
the United States.
Some would argue, Mr. Speaker, that there are economic reasons why
this policy should be unacceptable, and certainly Taiwan is one of our
great trading partners. The small population of Taiwan is buying twice
as much from the United States than do the 1 billion 200 million people
on the mainland of China, but that is not my reason for submitting this
resolution.
If Taiwan were to buy not a dime's worth of American products, as a
matter of principle we should insist that President Lee come to Cornell
to receive his honorary doctorate. I find it particularly galling that
an administration which can tell our longstanding friend and ally, the
United Kingdom, to go fly a kite and receive Gerry Adams in the White
House--as I believe he should have been received in the White House--
should kowtow to Beijing, a Government which distinguishes itself with
an outrageous human rights record in China, in Tibet, and elsewhere. I
think it is long overdue that we stop kowtowing to the Communist
butchers in Beijing, and to stand on our own principles. It will be a
proud day when the President of Taiwan visits his own alma mater and
receives his well-deserved honorary degree, and I urge all of my
colleagues on both sides to support this resolution.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] for his outstanding comments.
Mr. Speaker, I now have the pleasure of yielding such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon], the chairman of
the Committee on Rules, and certainly one of the Members most
knowledgeable about Taiwanese and Chinese relations, and I look forward
to his comments.
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding me this time, and I thank him for his yeoman work as the
chairman of a subcommittee of the very important Committee on
International Relations.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the strongest support of this resolution, and
I commend my friends, the gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos and Mr.
Berman] for bringing this very, very important resolution to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, the refusal by our Government to permit the
distinguished President of the Republic of China on Taiwan to pay a
private visit to the United States represents an assault against his
dignity and our morality. President Lee has presided over a Democratic
political liberalization in his country, a process which has seen
Taiwan join the ranks of democratic nations, a process which will reach
its culmination early next year when Taiwan holds a direct poplar
election for President.
Mr. Speaker, the transition to democracy in Taiwan is without
precedent in the 4,000 years of recorded Chinese history. This has been
achieved with a minimum of confusion, a minimum of disorder, and
certainly a minimum of violence.
Indeed, Taiwan has become a model of other countries to follow. But
Mr. Speaker, for our country to have a policy of denying admission to
someone of President Lee's statute is just an absolute disgrace. It is
embarrassing. It is a blatant contradiction of our efforts to promote
democracy around the world. That is why the resolution before us is so
terribly important. I hope that the House of Representatives will speak
today with one unanimous voice in expressing our desire, indeed, our
demand, that President Lee be permitted to visit the United States.
Taiwan has suffered many indignities at the hands of the United States
in our attempts to
[[Page H4452]] pacify and to curry favor with Beijing, but let us
recognize once and for all that such weakness on our part does not
impress Beijing at all. Let us take a positive stand in support of
democracy by allowing President Lee to visit the United States. Here is
one important instance in which American interest and American morality
go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I helped write the Taiwan Relations Act back in 1979. It
was meant to protect one of the strongest democracies in the world
which stood with us in the chain of defense against the spread of
international atheistic communism around this world.
This resolution is terribly important. It should be passed today. Our
President should know that even though this resolution is just an
expression of the sense of Congress, if he does not go along with this
we will come back with a bill that would have the effect of law. I
suggest that our President follow through.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Guam
[Mr. Underwood].
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time
to me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
53, which calls on President Clinton to welcome a private visit by
Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui to the United States.
The Department of State policy to refuse any visit by the Taiwanese
President is misguided. The Department reasons that the United States
does not want to offend the sensitivities of the Government of the
People's Republic of China, which lays claim to Taiwan as a renegade
province. They even went so far as to prevent a stop-over in Hawaii by
President Lee last year on his way to Costa Rica.
Sometimes, the United States is prepared to run the risk of offending
other nations, even our allies, in order to make a statement of
principle. Despite strong objections from the United Kingdom, we
admitted Gerry Adams, the leader of the Sinn Fein, to our country
earlier this year. In fact, he received a level of attention that a
head of state would envy, and the President even welcomed him to the
White House on Saint Patrick's Day.
Why should the United States be more willing to offend a democratic
ally than a totalitarian nation? Why do we want to pretend as if Taiwan
does not exist by refusing to admit President Lee so he can receive an
honorary degree at his alma mater Cornell University?
Welcoming President Lee will not jeopardize United States-Chinese
relations, but would make an important statement about the future
direction of United States-Chinese relations. I urge my colleagues to
support House Concurrent Resolution 53.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
San Francisco, CA [Ms. Pelosi].
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the chairman of the subcommittee, the
gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], for his leadership in offering
this amendment, this substitute, to the resolution of the gentleman
from California [Mr. Lantos] for President Lee. I also commend the
chairman of the full committee for his leadership, ongoing for many
years, on this important issue.
Mr. Speaker, the debate that we have had for many years in this House
on the issue of China is a long and complicated one. Today many parties
to both sides of that debate have come together behind this important
resolution. It is important because it is about who we are and who will
dictate to us who has the hospitality of the United States of America.
Will that be determined by the American people, this Congress, this
administration, or will it be determined in Beijing? I think it should
be determined here.
{time} 1145
In preparation for our colleagues coming back from the spring work
recess, I sent a group of clips yesterday to each Member of the House
called China Clips, our regular series, which goes into the three areas
of concern that we have shared in this House on China: Violations of
trade, violations of human rights, and the proliferation of weapons.
I call to my colleagues' attention two things: One is why is China
always the exception to the administration's rules? Why is it as my
colleagues have said that others who have led opposition in other
countries are invited here and yet the President, the democratically
elected President of Taiwan, educated in the United States, born in
Taiwan, not even in China, mainland China, is not allowed to come?
We have heard people in the administration say, ``We don't need to do
anything to improve human rights in China because economic reform is
going to take care of that. It's going to lead to political reform.''
It can. It may. There is no guarantee. But In Taiwan, it happened. And
under the leadership of President Lee, it continues to happen, where
political reform grows every day because of his policies.
How can we purport to support a principle of economic reform leading
to political reform and in the very place that the leadership has
allowed that to happen in Taiwan say to the President, ``But you're not
good enough to come into the United States and avail yourself of their
hospitality?''
Another issue, because my colleague the gentleman from California
[Mr. Lantos] brought it out, is the issue of Iran. The President was
commended for his policy in Iran and I support that. But in his
comments, the President referenced Russia and what they were doing to
sell to Iran, not referencing, and I call to my colleagues' attention
something in the clips, ``China in Rebuff to United States Defends its
Nuclear Dealings with Iran.''
If this is a problem, then let us deal with it, Russia, China, and
the rest. But let us not let China violate human rights, trade and
proliferation and then dictate to us whether the President of Taiwan
can come into this country.
I support my colleagues' resolutions.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Rohrabacher], a member of the
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, today we are sending a message to the
world. We are sending a message to the people of Taiwan. We are sending
a message to the people of China. We are sending a message to the
dictators in Beijing.
Today we are extending a hand of friendship to President Lee of the
Republic of China. We are doing so because his government on Taiwan has
liberalized, has reached out to the opposition and permitted rights to
exist there which are consistent with what we as Americans believe
should be the rights of citizens everywhere.
We have seen democratization and a respect for human rights in the
Republic of China that places that government now in the family of
democratic nations.
What we do today is the first step in acknowledging that tremendous
step forward that the people of the Republic of China have made, and
congratulate the leadership of the Republic of China for believing in
those values that are at the heart of the American system and at the
soul of the American people.
We are also sending a message to the people of China. That message is
on the mainland of China, those hundreds of millions of people who
suffer under dictatorship, that we are on their side and we are not on
the side of their oppressor. At the very least, the United States
should always be on the side of those who long for freedom, long to
live at peace with their neighbors but suffer under oppression and
tyranny.
The regime in Beijing has sent its message to the world as well. Even
though they are trading with the United States, even though their
income of their society has increased dramatically, what comes from
that kind of trade? We are told liberalization, democracy. But where is
it? We have not seen it.
Do the people of Tibet feel freer or more secure because the Chinese
Government has been permitted to trade and have a $24 billion to $30
billion surplus with us each year? No, the people of Tibet feel the
heel of the Chinese Army which is being armed now with the surplus that
they have earned from trade with the United States.
The Tiananmen Square heroes whom we remember well are now in prison,
or
[[Page H4453]] they have been exiled. There is no democracy. The people
of Tiananmen Square still cry out for America's attention. But we do
not hear them anymore.
And also, what else happens when you permit a dictatorship to make
tens of billions of dollars' worth of revenue off of trade with the
United States? What we see is a buildup of the Chinese military that is
inexcusable. I recently returned from the Philippines, where they
themselves felt the intimidation of Chinese militarism when the Chinese
have been bullying them on the issue of the Spratly Islands.
We are sending a message today simply by reaching our hand out to a
friend, President Lee, that American policy recognizes the distinctions
that I have just made. To the people of Taiwan, to the Republic of
China, we express our congratulations. You are our friends. To the
regime in Beijing, we say, ``Clean up your act, respect human rights,
or we indeed will move away from you and into a better relationship
with people who agree with our values.''
I hope that President Lee will get his chance to come to the United
States a friend of the United States. I thus ask my colleagues to join
me in supporting House Concurrent Resolution 53.
[Mr. BERMAN addressed the House. His remarks will appear hereafter in
the Extensions of Remarks.]
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In conclusion, I want to thank the distinguished ranking member of
the subcommittee for his support and assistance in bringing this
legislation to the floor. The same is true of the distinguished
chairman, the gentleman from New York, and I especially commend my
colleague, the gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos], for his
initiative in bringing this legislation to the floor, and indeed all of
the speakers who have eloquently testified in support of the resolution
before us.
I thank the gentleman from California [Mr. Berman] for his remarks
regarding the fact that this resolution is not passed in contradiction
to the one-China policy that has been the position of previous
administrations and this administration. Indeed, we do not seek an
additional confrontation with the People's Republic of China. It is
this Member's view and the policy of the administration to encourage an
improved relationship with the People's Republic of China.
But we also want to sustain and enhance our relationship with the
Government of Taiwan, and indeed we want common sense applied in our
foreign policy. We will not be intimidated by any kind of concern in
eliminating an opportunity for a visit from President Lee to receive an
honorary degree from his alma mater.
I urge my colleagues to give their unanimous support to House
Concurrent Resolution 53.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, the cold war is over and the United States
is struggling to reshape its foreign policy. I believe there is a clear
principle we should use as our guiding light in this effort--shared
values.
We are the only remaining superpower, and we have an unprecedented
opportunity to shed our old policies and base our relations with other
nations on their willingness to embrace the tenets that are the
founding principles of our country--democracy, human rights, rule of
law, and free markets.
I believe the United States should cultivate relations with nations
that share these values and are moving toward them. At the same time,
we should make abundantly clear that we have no interest in cooperating
with nor assisting nations that do not share our values.
One nation that clearly shares our values is Taiwan.
Taiwan has followed a pattern that I believe is the best path for the
development of stable, deeply rooted democracies. Taiwan focused
initially on economic growth, the development of free markets and
capitalism, an aggressive financial sector, access to credit--in short,
economic freedom. This base of economic freedom led to a growing middle
class that demanded a greater say in government and greater personal
freedoms.
The Taiwanese Government has responded positively and undertaken
broad and deep reforms. The commitment to the values we hold dear is
strong in Taiwan. Although there is still room for improvement--
including a need for greater diversity in television broadcasting--I
believe Taiwan is firmly on the path of democracy.
Taiwan should take its rightful place among all the nations of the
world in trade, culture, science, finance, and diplomacy. We should be
working to strengthen ties with Taiwan and help it promote its
interests overseas. Taiwan should have a seat in the United Nations,
should have its application to GATT adopted, and the status of the
Taiwanese mission in Washington, DC, should be upgraded, and, as the
resolution we are debating today states, the United States should grant
President Lee a visa to visit us. It is outrageous that we have not
done so.
I commend the gentleman from California for introducing this
resolution and I urge Members to support this important statement of
Congress' commitment to promote our values overseas.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of
Concurrent Resolution 53, to allow a private visit to the United States
by Taiwan's President Lee Teng-hui. I have long supported the goals of
this resolution, and I am greatly pleased that Congress is acting on
this issue.
There are no longer any legitimate policy grounds for prohibiting the
democratic leader of one of Asia's oldest republics from paying a
private visit to the United States to visit his alma mater, Cornell
University. American universities sometimes have the privilege of
providing the formal education for future leaders from different parts
of the world. It is only right that Cornell University be allowed to
invite Mr. Lee back to recognize his contribution to public life in
Taiwan by granting him an honorary degree.
Taiwan has done everything which we expect of a democratic society
over the last years. It has free elections, a free press, and is a
model of an open society with democratic institutions in an Asian
context. Why not recognize and encourage these significant
accomplishments by allowing this private visit?
Taiwan has also liberalized its economic policies, has built a
resilient market economy, and has become a dependable trading partner.
It is the United States' sixth largest trading partner, and buys twice
as much annually from the United States as does the People's Republic
of China.
President Lee has been invited to the United States on a
private visit. Some are concerned that even a private visit would
offend leaders in the People's Republic of China. So what? Why should
we worry about offending the sensitivities of those leaders whose
actions have often offended our own sense of human rights and
democracy?
Concurrent Resolution 53 will send a clear message to the
administration and to the State Department that it is time for a change
in this policy. It will also send a message to the rest of the world
that the United States Congress appreciates and supports democratic
political developments in Taiwan. I strongly urge my colleagues to
overwhelmingly support it.
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent
Resolution 53. I commend the gentleman from California [Mr. Lantos] for
his leadership and the committee for bringing this resolution to the
floor in a timely fashion.
Clearly, a broad, bipartisan majority of Members favors the idea of a
visit to the United States by President Lee. I wish to point out,
however, that this resolution does raise complex issues concerning the
United States relationship with China and Taiwan.
On the merits, I think a private visit by President Lee to his alma
mater should not be a problem. He has helped bring democracy to Taiwan,
and I would like to think that his American education played a part in
that accomplishment.
The problem, of course, is the potential implication of a Lee visit
for the United States relationship with China. For decades, the United
States has had good relations with both Taiwan and China by maintaining
an ambiguity about Taiwan's political status.
The Chinese Government has a firm position that Taiwan is a part of
China. It rejects the idea that Taiwan is a sovereign entity. More and
more, China rightly or wrongly believes that President Lee is working
to create a Taiwan independent from China, and that he is doing so by
making trips to places like the United States. China believes that any
visit by President Lee to the United States would, by definition, be
political. Whether the visit is called ``private'' is immaterial to
China. Now, I disagree with how the Chinese view a visit by President
Lee, but I believe we still need to understand China's perspective.
The United States has stated its policy that there is one China,
whose Government is the PRC Government in Beijing. We also acknowledged
the Chinese position that there is one China and Taiwan is part of
China. For six administrations, the United States has sought both to
develop relations with China and maintain and develop substantive ties
with Taiwan. We have, for example, helped Taiwan build a
[[Page H4454]] defense deterrent. And as Taiwan has played a greater
role in world affairs, the United States has adjusted the way in which
it deals with Taiwan. United States cabinet-level officials in economic
areas have visited Taiwan.
The point is that the United States shares important interests with
China. Consequently, we should not ignore China's reaction on this
issue. Right now, for example, the administration is engaged in
sensitive negotiations with North Korea over what kind of reactor the
North will accept in return for abandoning its nuclear weapons program.
China reportedly is urging North Korea to accept a South Korean-model
reactor and so defuse the current crisis. We need that kind of help. We
also have an interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
So, Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution. But I also hope that we
can summon the creativity to manage this situation so that we may both
express our historic friendship with Taiwan and, at the same time,
preserve our interests. This visit should be truly nonpolitical in the
way it is conducted. We should make clear to Beijing that a short visit
by President Lee in no way changes the United States view of Taiwan's
status. And I think it is clear that there needs to be some confidence-
building between Beijing and Taipei so that neither side overreacts to
the actions of the other.
Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent
Resolution 53, of which I am an original cosponsor.
Given the fact that President Lee Teng-hui is the freely elected
leader of the Republic of China on Taiwan--a United States ally and
important trading partner--it would seem self-evident that he would be
welcome at any time for private visits to the United States. Yet this
is not the case. Frankly, President Lee has been subjected to some
rather shoddy treatment by the Clinton administration, which, of
course, is the impetus behind this concurrent resolution.
I want to make it clear that President Lee is a reform-minded
democrat who is offering just the kind of leadership the United States
should wish to encourage in Asia. While I am certainly in favor of
maintaining a constructive relationship with the People's Republic of
China, I see no reason why the two policies should be mutually
exclusive. Surely the situation calls for a degree of tact and
diplomacy, two qualities which this administration has lacked in its
dealings with President Lee.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution, and I hope the
administration will take note of the position of the House.
Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. Speaker, the decision to allow the elected
leadership of Taiwan access to the United States was made when Taiwan
decided to have free elections, a free press and pluralistic political
systems. This isn't simply an issue to the people of Taiwan. As a
matter of policy, the United States should never exclude the elected
and legitimate leader of any nation seeking to come to our country. The
views of nations with whom we have relations, and those nations that
play a disproportionate role in world affairs, should always be heard
by our Government. They can, however, never be controlling upon our
Government.
The Government in Beijing has received all due deference. In the
final analysis, it is the policy of the U.S. Government to allow all
freely elected governments to come to this country and be heard. The
people of the United States do not need to be protected from the views
of freely elected peoples.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, I want to add that it would be an
extraordinary statement that, after receiving in the last decade a
range of leaders from Roberto D'Aubuission, the leader of the death
squads in El Salvador, to Deng Xiao-ping, the leader of the world's
largest totalitarian government, that any freely elected official is
denied access to our country. I hope this resolution, House Concurrent
Resolution. 53 succeeds in convincing the administration of the
strength of our bipartisan views. But I would remind the
administration, if they do not after considerable negotiations, that I
have a common resolution to amend the Taiwan Relations Act as a matter
of law to allow access and visas to the United States. If discretion is
not used properly by he administration, discretion will be lost by the
administration. We will proceed with our amendment and change the law.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend my remarks on House
Concurrent Resolution 53, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress
regarding a private visit by President Lee Teng-hui of the Republic of
China to the United States. I was pleased to offer my strong support
for this measure, and am delighted that the House of Representatives
endorsed this important resolution.
This resolution is a sensible request. We should all recognize that
the Republic of China is a full-fledged democracy, and its government
policies conform to those of other democratic nations. Additionally,
the Republic of China is one of the most important economic powers in
the world. Specifically, the Republic of China has established a
program of economic assistance to many underdeveloped nations, and has
joined major international organizations such as the Asian Pacific
Economic Cooperation [APEC] forum. The Republic of China has also been
involved in international humanitarian relief efforts, such as helping
the refugees of the Persian Gulf war. More importantly though, the
Republic of China is willing to be a helpful partner in the
international community.
While the United States does not want to jeopardize its relations
with other governments, we should grant an exception to allow the
President of the Republic of China to make a private visit to our
country. The nature of the visit by President Lee Teng-hui, to receive
an honorary degree from Cornell University, is a reasonable appeal, and
should be so recognized by our government.
As Members of Congress, I would believe that we would want to
maintain our relations with the Republic of China, and am pleased that
the House passed this resolution.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Combest). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House
Concurrent Resolution 53, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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