[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 35 (Sunday, March 20, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 24--EXPRESSING THE GRAVE CONCERN OF 
CONGRESS REGARDING THE RECENT PASSAGE OF THE ANTI-SECESSION LAW BY THE 
      NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

  Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Allen, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. 
Kyl, Mr. Bond, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Dorgan, and Mr. Schumer) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 24

       Whereas, on December 9, 2003, President George W. Bush 
     stated it is the policy of the United States to ``oppose any 
     unilateral decision, by either China or Taiwan, to change the 
     status quo'' in the region;
       Whereas, in the past few years, the United States 
     Government has urged both Taiwan and the People's Republic of 
     China to maintain restraint;
       Whereas the National People's Congress of the People's 
     Republic of China passed an anti-secession law on March 14, 
     2005, which constitutes a unilateral change to the status quo 
     in the Taiwan Strait;
       Whereas the passage of China's anti-secession law escalates 
     tensions between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China 
     and is an impediment to cross-strait dialogue;
       Whereas the purpose of China's anti-secession law is to 
     create a legal framework for possible use of force against 
     Taiwan and mandates Chinese military action under certain 
     circumstances, including when ``possibilities for a peaceful 
     reunification should be completely exhausted'';
       Whereas the Department of Defense's Report on the Military 
     Power of the People's Republic of China for Fiscal Year 2004 
     documents that, as of 2003, the Government of the People's 
     Republic of China had deployed approximately 500 short-range 
     ballistic missiles against Taiwan;
       Whereas the escalating arms buildup of missiles and other 
     offensive weapons by the People's Republic of China in areas 
     adjacent to the Taiwan Strait is a threat to the peace and 
     security of the Western Pacific area;
       Whereas, given the recent positive developments in cross-
     strait relations, including the Lunar New Year charter 
     flights and new proposals for cross-strait exchanges, it is 
     particularly unfortunate that the National People's Congress 
     adopted this legislation;
       Whereas, since its enactment in 1979, the Taiwan Relations 
     Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), which codified in law the basis 
     for continued commercial, cultural, and other relations 
     between the people of the United States and the people of 
     Taiwan, has been instrumental in maintaining peace, security, 
     and stability in the Taiwan Strait;
       Whereas section 2(b)(2) of the Taiwan Relations Act 
     declares that ``peace and stability in the area are in the 
     political, security, and economic interests of the United 
     States, and are matters of international concern'';
       Whereas, at the time the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted 
     into law, section 2(b)(3) of such Act made clear that the 
     United States decision to establish diplomatic relations with 
     the People's Republic of China rested upon the expectation 
     that the future of Taiwan would be determined by peaceful 
     means;
       Whereas section 2(b)(4) of the Taiwan Relations Act 
     declares 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'';
       Whereas section 2(b)(6) of the Taiwan Relations Act 
     declares it the policy of the United States ``to maintain the 
     capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force 
     or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the 
     security, or the social or economic system, of the people on 
     Taiwan''; and
       Whereas any attempt to determine Taiwan's future by other 
     than peaceful means and other than with the express consent 
     of the people of Taiwan would be considered of grave concern 
     to the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),
       (1) the anti-secession law of the People's Republic of 
     China provides a legal justification for the use of force 
     against Taiwan, altering the status quo in the region, and 
     thus is of grave concern to the United States;
       (2) the President should direct all appropriate officials 
     of the United States Government to convey to their 
     counterpart officials in the Government of the People's 
     Republic of China the grave concern with which the United 
     States views the passage of China's anti-secession law in 
     particular, and the growing Chinese military threats to 
     Taiwan in general;
       (3) the United States Government should reaffirm its policy 
     that the future of Taiwan should be resolved by peaceful 
     means and with the consent of the people of Taiwan; and
       (4) the United States Government should continue to 
     encourage dialogue between Taiwan and the People's Republic 
     of China.

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