[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 28 (Thursday, March 10, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S2420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CHINA'S ENACTMENT OF ANTISECESSION LAW

  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, the Peoples Republic of China recently 
enacted an antisecession or antiseparation law, the intent of which may 
believe would restrict the Taiwanese people's freedom of speech and 
allow the Chinese Government to use force to annex Taiwan if China 
suspects separatist speech making or any other separatist activities on 
the island. This law has caused a tremendous uproar in Taiwan. Taiwan's 
foreign minister and chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council have 
both denounced the law as a unilateral act on the part of China. It 
will cause tensions in the Taiwan Strait to rise and may have serious 
consequences for future Taiwan-China relations.
  I agree with the assessment that China is seeking to change 
unilaterally the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. China seems to have 
abandoned any attempt at future dialogue between the two sides and 
seeks to impose this law on the 23 million people of Taiwan. Chinese 
assumptions are that Taiwan and China are now already unified and that 
China has jurisdiction over Taiwan, especially the authority to serve 
penalty and punishment to Taiwanese people and their leaders. China has 
ignored the fact that Taiwan and China have been two separate political 
entities since 1949 and neither has jurisdiction over the other. China, 
therefore, has no right to carry out punishment to Taiwanese people and 
leaders whenever China sees fit.
  Predictably, Taiwanese people are outraged by the latest Chinese act 
and ask the international community to oppose China's new law. So far, 
with a wait-and-see attitude, the international community has remained 
quiet on the subject. It is important that we not appease China.
  Inaction of the international community will send a dangerous signal 
and will further encourage China to indulge in its political rhetoric 
and war-like actions. We must single out the dangers inherent in 
China's new law, whose enactment will totally discourage the Taiwanese 
people from seeking a peaceful solution to the Taiwan issue. Now is not 
the time to empower China to prepare for military conflicts across the 
Taiwan Strait, just as the EU stands to do by lifting the Chinese Arms 
Embargo.
  In this era of global terrorism and natural catastrophes, war is the 
last thing we would like to see in the Asia-Pacific region. I urge all 
Americans and the international community to oppose China's enactment 
of the antisecession law, and I plead with both Chinese and Taiwanese 
leaders not to resort to any extreme measures and not to make a bad 
situation worse. Both sides should allow tempers to cool and keep 
dialogues open.
  May the Lunar New Year bring good will to the Chinese and Taiwanese 
peoples and may they continue to maintain peace and stability in the 
Taiwan Strait.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thune). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, it is my understanding we are in morning 
business until 2 o'clock.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Yes, we are.

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