[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 23 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TAIWAN STRAIT RELATIONS

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                          HON. FRANK D. LUCAS

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 3, 2005

  Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, On December 29 of last year, the 
Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress took a 
highly provocative action when it voted to submit an ``Anti-Secession 
Law'' to the full Congress which convenes on March 5.
  The text of this proposed law was not made public, but there can be 
no doubt about its intent. It is intended to create in China's national 
law the legal justification for a military attack against Taiwan.
  The law would spell out a range of activities which, if taken by the 
Taiwanese people and their democratically elected leaders, would 
legally constitute secession. Many of these activities, such as 
Constitutional reform and popular referenda, are the mainstay of any 
democracy. Yet the Chinese would use them as a legal excuse for a 
military attack.
  Mr. Speaker, this proposed ``anti-secession'' legislation which the 
National People's Congress plans to take up in March, is a significant 
and dangerous development. It goes far beyond the usual bellicose 
verbal threats of Chinese leaders. It would use Chinese national law as 
a rationale for military aggression against its democratic neighbor.
  The United States, for more than 25 years since the passage of the 
Taiwan Relations Act, has made clear its determination that the future 
of Taiwan must be decided only by peaceful means, not by force of arms, 
and that any final determination must be in accord with the wishes of 
the people of Taiwan.
  These are the fundamental building blocks upon which the future of 
the Taiwan Strait must rest: peace, and mutual consent between both 
sides. I urge the leadership of the PRC to put aside this ill-
considered law as inimical to both peace and goodwill.




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