[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 13 (Wednesday, February 9, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONDEMNING PROPOSED PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ANTI-SECESSION LAW

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. THOMAS G. TANCREDO

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 2005

  Mr. TANCREDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the recent ``anti-
secession law'' proposed by the ``legislature'' of the People's 
Republic of China.
  I believe it is clear to even the most casual observer that this move 
by China's rubber-stamp National People's Congress is little more than 
a thinly veiled attempt by Beijing to create a ``legal framework'' for 
starting a war with Taiwan.
  Should China's unelected parliament enact this law, it will represent 
a clear-cut, belligerent and dangerous step toward a military attack of 
a peaceful and democratic ally of the United States. Moreover, it 
underscores once again that the government in Beijing is not sincere 
about resolving its differences with Taiwan in a peaceful or rational 
manner.
  America's position is clear: Any change in the status quo between the 
People's Republic of China and Taiwan must have the assent of the 
people of Taiwan. As such, resolving the differences between these two 
nations can only be achieved through honest and direct state-to-state 
negotiations without preconditions. They cannot be resolved by 
intimidation, indignant bluster or threats of military force from 
Beijing.
  Mr. Speaker, the truth is that Taiwan and China are not united. They 
are not ``one country'' as the communists in Beijing are so fond of 
asserting. If they were there would be no talk of ``unification.'' 
China must accept that it does not have jurisdiction over Taiwan, and 
abandon this kind of counter-productive saber rattling. The simple fact 
is this: Regardless of whether the puppet legislature in Beijing enacts 
this ``law'' or not, Taiwan will remain free, independent and outside 
of the control of communist China. Those, Mr. Speaker, are the facts.
  Nonetheless, world reaction to this P.R.C. ``trial balloon'' will be 
significant and watched with great interest by the autocrats in 
Beijing. Hard liners in Beijing will observe how civilized and modern 
nations respond to the explicit threat that the ``anti-secession law'' 
represents. In short, they are feeling out the free world to determine 
its commitment to the safety and security of Taiwan--and its more than 
twenty million citizens.
  I hope the family of free nations will condemn the ``anti-secession 
law'' with a unified voice, making it clear to China that any 
resolution of cross-straits tensions must be peaceful and above all 
acceptable to the people of Taiwan.

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