[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            TAIWAN NEEDS US

                                 ______


                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 1996

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I am happy today to give strong support for 
the resolution introduced yesterday by Mr. Cox, myself, the Republican 
leadership and 82 bipartisan Members, expressing our continued and 
unequivocal support for the Republic of China on Taiwan. Mr. Speaker, 
the Clinton administration's response to the increasingly strident 
threats made toward the Republic of China has been almost nonexistent. 
They have pointedly refused to commit to the Republic of China's 
defense in the event that Communist China should invade or attack our 
friends in Taiwan. The administration's deliberate ambiguity in this 
matter sends absolutely the wrong message to Beijing, and practically 
invites an escalation of an already tense situation.
  The Taiwan Relations Act--the law of the land in our dealings with 
the Republic of China, despite what Beijing would care to think, has at 
its core our desire to see disputes between Communist China and the 
Republic of China settled peacefully. We must make it clear to the 
rulers in Beijing that the United States intends to live up to its 
commitments under this law, and I think that this resolution will help 
to demonstrate in no uncertain terms that we take this obligation very 
seriously.
  I would ask all of my colleagues here in the House to support House 
Concurrent Resolution 148. The people of the Republic of China on 
Taiwan need us, and the dictators in Beijing need to hear from us.

                          ____________________