[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 143 (Thursday, September 14, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1790-E1791]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                THE UNITED STATES MUST STAND WITH TAIWAN

                                 ______


                           HON. PETER T. KING

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 1995
  Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, the Clinton administration's decision to have 
the First Lady attend the Women's Conference in Beijing would be 
troubling enough under any circumstances. Not only does China's 
Communist Government routinely trample the human rights of all its 
citizens--male and female--it also felt compelled to execute 16 
political dissidents in preparation for this conference. Very simply, 
the administration has allowed itself to be maneuvered into providing 
the veneer of moral respectability to an outlaw regime such as the 
People's Republic of China [PRC].
  Even more troubling, however, is the doubt which this decision casts 
on the willingness of the United States to resist mainland China's 
increasingly aggressive actions against Taiwan. The Republic of China 
fought side by side with the United States in World War II and 
continued to be a loyal ally of the United States after Chiang Kai-shek 
evacuated his forces from the Chinese mainland and moved the Government 
of the Republic of China to Taiwan in 1949. It has also become a free-
market economic powerhouse. Taiwan is the United States' seventh 
largest trading partner, has more than $80 billion in foreign exchange 
reserves and, even though its population is 50 times smaller, has a GDP 
comparable to mainland China's. Taiwan also has strong defense forces, 
lacking only sophisticated fighter jets and anti-missile systems.
  Taiwan's greatest achievement, however, has been its attainment of an 
open, democratic society. For years Taiwan had a closed political 
system. Martial law was lifted in 1987, however, and Taiwan now has a 
robust political system, with a particularly combative National 
Assembly. In March 1996 the President, 

[[Page E 1791]]
heretofore elected by the legislature, will be elected by popular vote. 
This will mark the first time in the history of China that a President 
has been democratically elected.
  Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, Taiwan's economic might and its 
embrace of democracy have enraged the PRC which has reacted 
aggressively. Economically, for instance, the PRC has been able to 
delay Taiwan's admission into GATT. Diplomatically, the People's 
Republic insisted that the United States not allow Taiwan's President 
Lee Teng-hui to enter our country, even on a private visit. True to 
form, earlier this year the State Department capitulated and denied 
President Lee's request to visit his alma mater, Cornell University. 
Fortunately, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly adopted a 
resolution supporting President Lee's visit and President Clinton 
overruled the State Department, granting President Lee a visa to speak 
at Cornell this past June.
  The PRC's response to President Lee's visit has bordered on the 
hysterical. Besides recalling its Ambassador from the United States and 
unleashing vicious propaganda tirades against President Lee, the PRC 
has conducted provocative military exercises off Taiwan's coast, 
including test-firing missiles in the East China Sea just 80 miles 
north of Taiwan. The PRC is planning further missile testing and naval 
maneuvers near Taiwan.
  Clearly the PRC is attempting to use the threat of invasion to 
intimidate the people of Taiwan into rejecting President Lee and 
adopting a docile foreign policy. If the PRC is successful in carrying 
out this extortion and subverting the democratic process in Taiwan, the 
United States will only be encouraging further PRC aggression in the 
region against Japan and the Philippines and we will be severely 
marginalized as a Pacific power. In short we will have allowed the PRC 
to establish Asian hegemony. To avert this moral and diplomatic 
catastrophe, the administration must: First, make it clear that any 
military action against Taiwan will result in a worldwide embargo and 
diplomatic isolation of the PRC; second, expeditiously complete the 
delivery of the 150 F-16 fighter jets already purchased by Taiwan; 
third, provide anti-missile systems to Taiwan; and fourth, reinforce 
our policy of granting visas to Taiwan's elected officials. 
Additionally, the Congress should promptly adopt House Concurrent 
Resolution 63 introduced by Representative Gerald Solomon which would 
urge Taiwan's admission into the United Nations. The bottom line of 
America's China policy must be the recognition that the PRC needs us 
more than we need them. As President Nixon said shortly before his 
death ``the Chinese will not launch a military attack against Taiwan as 
long as Beijing knows such an action would jeopardize their 
relationship with the United States.''
  Last month I had the opportunity to meet with President Lee in 
Taiwan. He is an impressive leader who is clearly committed to 
democratic principles. As the world's leading democracy, the United 
States must stand with democratic nations in their time of peril. By 
standing with the Republic of China on Taiwan at this time, the United 
States will be acting in our best traditions and strengthening the 
cause of peace and stability in the Pacific.


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