[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8611-S8612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SENATE RESOLUTION 114--RELATIVE TO TAIWAN

  Mr. TORRICELLI (for himself and Mr. Brownback) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                              S. Res. 114

       Whereas Hong Kong was acquired by the United Kingdom in 
     1898 and leased from China for 99 years;
       Whereas the treaty through which the Hong Kong territory 
     was leased from China expired on July 1, 1997, at which time 
     Hong Kong reverted to China;
       Whereas no treaties exist between the People's Republic of 
     China and Taiwan which determine the future status of Taiwan, 
     and, unlike Hong Kong, Taiwan has been de facto independent 
     since 1949;
       Whereas the People's Republic of China attempts to apply to 
     Taiwan the formula commonly known as ``one country, two 
     systems'' in an effort to annex Taiwan to China;
       Whereas the People's Republic of China has refused to 
     renounce the use of force against Taiwan and held military 
     exercises in the Taiwan Strait in March 1996 in an attempt to 
     intimidate the people of Taiwan in their first presidential 
     elections; and
       Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that ``[i]t is the 
     policy of the United States to consider 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'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the transfer of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of 
     China does not alter the current and future status of Taiwan;
       (2) the future of Taiwan should be determined by peaceful 
     means through a democratic process in accordance with the 
     principle of self-determination, as outlined in the Charter 
     of the United Nations; and
       (3) the United States should assist in the defense of 
     Taiwan in case of threats or military attack by the People's 
     Republic of China against Taiwan.

  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I rise today to join with my 
colleague, Senator Brownback, in submitting a Sense of Senate 
Resolution on the Current and Future Status of Taiwan.
  This legislation expresses the sense of the Senate that the recent 
transfer of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China does not alter 
the current or future status of Taiwan. The reversion of Hong Kong to 
China on July 1 has created the impression among some that the 
situations of Hong Kong and Taiwan are similar. Our resolution makes 
clear that there are deep differences between these two situations.
  Hong Kong reverted to China after the expiration of a treaty signed 
by China and the United Kingdom in 1898 granting a 99 year lease.
  No treaties exist which determine the future status of Taiwan, and 
Taiwan has maintained a de facto independence since 1949.
  The formula of ``one country, two systems'' applied to Hong Kong has 
no relevance to Taiwan.
  China continues to renounce the use of force against Taiwan and as 
recently as 1996 held military exercises in the Taiwan Strait in an 
attempt to intimidate the people of Taiwan.
  The Taiwan Relations Act makes it the policy of the United States to 
``consider 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.''
  Based on these differences, our resolution expresses the sense of the 
Senate that--
  First, the transfer of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China 
does not alter the current and future status of Taiwan;
  Second, the future of Taiwan should be determined by peaceful means 
through a democratic process in accordance with the principle of self-
determination, as outlined in the Charter of the United Nations; and
  Third, the United States should assist in the defense of Taiwan in 
case of

[[Page S8612]]

threats or military attack by the People's Republic of China against 
Taiwan.

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