[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 117 (Thursday, August 2, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5990-S5991]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 542--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS IN TAIWAN FOLLOWING THE JANUARY 2012 PRESIDENTIAL AND
LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS IN TAIWAN
Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself and Mr. Begich) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 542
Whereas, for many years, Taiwan has been a strong and
cooperative partner of the United States;
Whereas the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et
seq.), the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations,
declares that ``the preservation and enhancement of the human
rights of all the people of Taiwan are hereby reaffirmed as
objectives of the United States'';
Whereas, since the lifting of martial law in 1987, the
people of Taiwan have amply demonstrated their desire for
democratic governance, as well as their commitment to human
rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law;
Whereas, since their first democratic presidential election
in 1996, the people of Taiwan have conducted four more
presidential elections, as well as successive elections for
members of their national legislature, numerous local
elections, and two national referendums;
Whereas Taiwan conducted its latest presidential and
legislative elections on January 14, 2012;
Whereas, on January 14, 2012, Mr. Ma Ying-jeou, the
incumbent and the nominee of the Chinese Nationalist Party
(KMT), was re-elected as the President of Taiwan with 51.6
percent of the vote, while in the 113-member legislature the
KMT won 64 seats, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won
40 seats, and the People's First Party (PFP), the Taiwan
Solidarity Union (TSU), and other non-partisan independent
candidates each won 3 seats;
Whereas an international election observation mission made
up of 19 observers from 8 countries, invited by the
International Committee for Fair Elections in Taiwan (ICFET),
observed the January 14, 2012, elections in Taiwan;
Whereas the final report of the mission, made up of
observers from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan,
Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United States, was recently
presented in Taiwan;
Whereas the final report of the mission included--
(1) a finding that the elections were mostly free but only
partly fair;
(2) a finding that the date selected for the election made
it more convenient for Taiwan businessmen in China to return
for the vote, but made it more difficult for students to
return to their home towns to vote, and a recommendation that
the household registration system should be changed to allow
people to vote where they actually work or study in Taiwan,
ending the need to travel long distances to vote;
(3) a finding that vote buying and vote betting remains an
issue of concern, and recommendations that stiffer penalties
be put in place for candidates who buy votes, such as
disqualification from running in future
[[Page S5991]]
elections, and that the political parties do more to prevent
individual candidates from engaging in vote buying;
(4) a finding that major violations of principles of
administrative neutrality during the elections by government
officials occurred, and a recommendation that civil service
and non-elected offices need to be further de-politicized;
(5) a finding that verified data does not exist on campaign
financial resources and expenditures and it seemed likely
that campaign spending exceeded campaign finance limits, and
recommendations that enforcement and public promotion of
campaign spending laws be strengthened and loopholes closed
and that the longstanding issue of KMT party assets,
including their source, use, and investments be resolved;
(6) a finding that the Government of the People's Republic
of China attempted to influence the elections by sending
agricultural purchasing missions to southern Taiwan as a sign
of support for the sitting President, reducing the number of
tourist groups allowed to travel to Taiwan to signal the
ability to reduce tourism if the ``wrong candidate'' won, and
by discounting flights from China to Taiwan to make it easier
for Taiwanese businessmen living in China to return to Taiwan
to vote;
(7) a finding that actions and statements by the United
States Government and its officials might have influenced the
elections, noting that in the three months preceding the
election, there were more visits by high-level United States
officials to Taipei than during any calendar year in recent
history; less than one month before the elections, the
Department of State announced Taiwan's candidacy for
participation in the visa waiver program; and a senior United
States official stated anonymously through the Financial
Times that the DPP's presidential candidate Tsai ``left us
with distinct doubts about whether she is both willing and
able to continue the stability in cross-Strait relations the
region has enjoyed in recent years''; and
(8) a finding that media outlets gave preferential
treatment to a particular party or candidate based on the
outlet's political affiliation;
Whereas Taiwan's native-grown democratic experience serves
as a model for countries in the region and around the world
aspiring to establish democratic rule;
Whereas Taiwan's free and open society plays a stabilizing
role in the Asia Pacific region and is thus conducive to the
interests of states of the region, including the United
States, in furthering peace, prosperity and stability; and
Whereas the United States remains committed to the
continued strengthening and development of democratic
institutions in Taiwan, and to ensuring the ability of the
people of Taiwan to determine their own future free from
outside interference or coercion: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) applauds the progress made by the people of Taiwan
toward the consolidation of democracy over the past two
decades, and commends their enduring commitment to the values
of democracy, rule of law, and the protection of human
rights;
(2) encourages the people and the Government of Taiwan to
take steps to continue to strengthen the protection of
democratic values and human rights in their country,
including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom
of the press;
(3) encourages the people and the Government of Taiwan to
take into consideration the conclusions and recommendations
of international election monitoring missions, including the
final International Election Observation Mission (IEOM)
report, as they seek to strengthen their democratic practices
and human rights protections;
(4) urges the President and Government of the United States
to continue to support democracy and human rights in Taiwan;
(5) encourages all outside parties to remain neutral in
Taiwan's elections; and
(6) affirms that the future of Taiwan should be resolved
peacefully, in accordance with democratic principles, and
with the assent of the people of Taiwan.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to submit a resolution relating
to the January 2012, presidential and legislative elections held in
Taiwan. On January 14, 2012, Mr. Ma Ying-jeou, the nominee of the
Chinese Nationalist Party, KMT, was re-elected as President of Taiwan
with 51.6 percent of the vote. The KMT also won 64 seats of the 113-
member Legislative Yuan, while the Democratic Progressive Party, DPP,
won 40 seats.
Former United States Senator Frank Murkowski participated in an
international election observation mission made up of 19 observers from
8 countries. Recently, the mission submitted its final report on the
elections, concluding that they were mostly free but only partly fair.
The resolution I am submitting takes note of the mission's final
report, and urges the people and government of Taiwan to take the
report's findings and recommendations into consideration as they
continue their commitment to the values of democracy, the rule of law,
and human rights.
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