[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 26, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E453-E454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 148

                                 ______


                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 26, 1996

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I came to Congress in January 1965, 
when questions about our escalating involvement in Vietnam were widely 
debated. Congress had passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution the summer 
before, providing supporters of the war in Vietnam with a claim that 
Congress had authorized it. I took a stand against United States 
involvement in the Vietnam war. Supporters of the war used the near 
unanimous vote taken by Congress in passing the Gulf of Tonkin 
resolution to prove that I was out of line and even un-American for 
opposing my Government at a time of armed conflict.
  This Taiwan resolution repeats the mistakes of the Gulf of Tonkin 
resolution.
  For 24 years we have adhered to a One China policy to the point where 
we have declined to recognize Taiwan as an independent nation. Until we 
do, our policy has been as stated in the Taiwan Relations Act. Taiwan 
does not have a United States Embassy in the United States; neither do 
we have one in Taiwan.
  Despite the diplomatic difficulties that this One China policy has 
caused, it has produced enormous prosperity in Taiwan, making it the 
19th largest economy in the world. Today Taiwan is a major trader with 
the United States as well as with the People's Republic of China. It 
has won its right to the international trading table without dispute.
  The Taiwan Relations Act states no committment on the part of the 
United States to use our military force in case of threats by mainland 
China. It was carefully crafted to avoid this inference.
  Today we are amending that act. This resolution specifically makes 
that pledge of military force.
  I find it hard to support this resolution, despite the alarming and 
exceedingly provocative actions of the People's Republic of China, 
because it goes too far and changes the longstanding policy without any 
substantive debate and without discussion of all the ramifications of 
this change.

  This resolution is a cold war style reaction to the current missile 
firing and military maneuvers by the People's Republic of China in the 
Taiwan Straits. A sounder resolution which deplored this provocation 
and urged that it come to a halt and commended the Government of Taiwan 
for their remarkable achievements, pledged continuing support and 
friendship, and congratulated them on their upcoming election would 
have been all that was

[[Page E454]]

needed to point to the obvious need for the People's Republic of China 
to back off.
  Yet I cannot vote against the Taiwan resolution, because like most of 
the Congress I, too, am disturbed at the aggressive behavior flagrantly 
exhibited by the People's Republic of China. It is not a normal 
reaction to the first Presidential election going on in Taiwan. In 
fact, it assured the overwhelming election of President Lee. It 
probably is more related to the power struggle going on in the People's 
Republic of China over who is to succeed Deng Xiao-Ping. We know that 
the various factions are positioning themselves to succeed him. A 
statement that the United States is a friend of Taiwan was probably 
important to reiterate. However, to go further and threaten the use of 
our military I believe was going too far.
  Further, I believe that the President of the United States is in 
charge of the foreign policy of the United States and is also the 
Commander in Chief of our military forces. President Clinton had 
already ordered our ships to the Straits of Taiwan to observe the 
tactical exercises to make sure that it did not invade Taiwan's 
territorial integrity.
  For these reasons I decided to vote ``present'' to respect the 
President's appropriate exercise of authority over this episode. My 
vote of ``present'' was cast to indicate that I had confidence in the 
President to serve the interests of all Americans in this matter at 
this time.
  In the future if it ever becomes necessary to consider a resolution 
of war against the People's Republic of China I want to be free to 
determine at that time whether or not to support such a step.
  I believe that those who voted for this resolution could be said to 
have already made their decision to go to war.
  I want to reserve that decision to a later time and hope that that 
time will never come.

                          ____________________