[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 40 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2688-S2689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TAIWAN CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

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                 THOMAS (AND OTHERS) AMENDMENT NO. 3562

  Mr. THOMAS (for himself, Mr. Helms, Mr. Dole, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. 
Pell, Mr. Simon, Mr. Mack, Mr. Grams, Mr. Pressler, Mr. Brown, Mr. 
Lugar, Mr. D'Amato, Mr. Warner, Mr. Ford, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Roth, Mr. 
Nickles, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Craig, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Dorgan, 
Mr. Robb, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Bryan, Ms. Moseley-Braun, Mr. Kerry, Mr. 
Daschle, and Mrs. Feinstein) proposed an amendment to the concurrent 
resolution (H. Con. Res. 148) expressing the sense of the Congress that 
the United States is committed to the military stability of the Taiwan 
Straits and United States military forces should defend Taiwan in the 
event of invasion, missile attack, or blockade by the People's Republic 
of China; as follows:

       Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert in 
     lieu thereof the following:
     ``That it is the sense of the Congress--
       ``(1) to deplore the missile tests and military exercises 
     that the People's Republic of China is conducting from March 
     8 through March 25, 1996, and view such tests and exercises 
     as potentially serious threats to the peace, security, and 
     stability of Taiwan and not in the spirit of the three United 
     States-China Joint Communiques;
       ``(2) to urge the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China to cease its bellicose actions directed at Taiwan and 
     enter instead into meaningful dialogue with the Government of 
     Taiwan at the highest levels, such as through the Straits 
     Exchange Foundation in Taiwan and the Association for 
     Relations Across the Taiwan Strait in Beijing, with an eye 
     towards decreasing tensions and resolving the issue of the 
     future of Taiwan;
       ``(3) that the President should, consistent with section 
     3(c) of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 (22 U.S.C. 3302(c)), 
     immediately consult with Congress on an appropriate United 
     States response to the tests and exercises should the tests 
     or exercises pose an actual threat to the peace, security, 
     and stability of Taiwan;
       ``(4) that the President should, consistent with the Taiwan 
     Relations Act of 1979 (22

[[Page S2689]]

     U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), reexamine the nature and quantity of 
     defense articles and services that may be necessary to enable 
     Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability in 
     light of the heightened military threat; and
       ``(5) that the Government of Taiwan should remain committed 
     to the peaceful resolution of its future relations with the 
     People's Republic of China by mutual decision.''
       Amend the preamble to read as follows:
       ``Whereas the People's Republic of China, in a clear 
     attempt to intimidate the people and Government of Taiwan, 
     has over the past 9 months conducted a series of military 
     exercises, including missile tests, within alarmingly close 
     proximity to Taiwan;
       ``Whereas from March 8 through March 15, 1996, the People's 
     Republic of China conducted a series of missile tests within 
     25 to 35 miles of the 2 principal northern and southern ports 
     of Taiwan, Kaohsiung and Keelung;
       ``Whereas on March 12, 1996, the People's Republic of China 
     began an 8-day, live-ammunition, joint sea-and-air military 
     exercise in a 2,390 square mile area in the southern Taiwan 
     Strait;
       ``Whereas on March 18, 1996, the People's Republic of China 
     began a 7-day, live-ammunition, joint sea-and-air military 
     exercise between Taiwan's islands of Matsu and Wuchu;
       ``Whereas these tests and exercises are a clear escalation 
     of the attempts by the People's Republic of China to 
     intimidate Taiwan and influence the outcome of the upcoming 
     democratic presidential election in Taiwan;
       ``Whereas through the administrations of Presidents Nixon, 
     Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush, the United States has adhered 
     to a ``One China'' policy and, during the administration of 
     President Clinton, the United States continues to adhere to 
     the ``One China'' policy based on the Shanghai Communique of 
     February 27, 1972, the Joint Communique on the Establishment 
     of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States of America 
     and the People's Republic of China of January 1, 1979, and 
     the United States-China Joint Communique of August 17, 1982;
       ``Whereas through the administrations of Presidents Carter, 
     Reagan, and Bush, the United States has adhered to the 
     provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, (22 U.S.C. 
     3301 et seq.) as the basis for continuing commercial, 
     cultural, and other relations between the people of the 
     United States and the people of Taiwan and, during the 
     administration of President Clinton, the United States 
     continues to adhere to the provisions of the Taiwan Relations 
     Act of 1979;
       ``Whereas relations between the United States and the 
     People's Republic of China rest upon the expectation that the 
     future of Taiwan will be settled solely by peaceful means;
       ``Whereas the strong interest of the United States in the 
     peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question is one of the 
     central premises of the three United States-China Joint 
     Communiques and was codified in the Taiwan Relations Act of 
     1979;
       ``Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states that 
     peace and stability in the western Pacific ``are in the 
     political, security, and economic interests of the United 
     States, and are matters of international concern'';
       ``Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 states that the 
     United States considers ``any effort to determine the future 
     of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including by 
     boycotts, or embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of 
     the western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United 
     States'';
       ``Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 directs the 
     President to ``inform Congress promptly of any threat to the 
     security or the social or economic system of the people on 
     Taiwan and any danger to the interests of the United States 
     arising therefrom'';
       ``Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 further directs 
     that ``the President and the Congress shall determine, in 
     accordance with constitutional process, appropriate action by 
     the United States in response to any such danger'';
       ``Whereas the United States, the People's Republic of 
     China, and the Government of Taiwan have each previously 
     expressed their commitment to the resolution of the Taiwan 
     question through peaceful means; and
       ``Whereas these missile tests and military exercises, and 
     the accompanying statements made by the Government of the 
     People's Republic of China, call into serious question the 
     commitment of China to the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan 
     question: Now, therefore, be it,''
       Amend the title so as to read: ``Expressing the sense of 
     Congress regarding missile tests and military exercises by 
     the People's Republic of China.''

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