[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3979]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IN SUPPORT OF H. CON. RES. 22

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETER DEUTSCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 9, 1999

  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I was very disturbed to read on the front 
page of The Washington Post on February 11, 1999 the headline ``Chinese 
Missiles Menace Taiwan.'' Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have 
fought hard to ensure the safety of Taiwan, and this report and others 
are evidence that Congress must be vigilant in reinforcing its 
commitment to this tiny island state.
  According to a Pentagon report, Beijing now has 150-200 ballistic 
missiles aimed at Taiwan and has plans to increase that number to 650. 
It is clear that this threat is a challenge to Taiwan's increased 
democracy and independence--as evidenced most recently by its 
successful elections.
  We all remember the last time this happened. In March, 1996, China 
reacted to Taiwan's imminent first democratic presidential elections by 
testing missiles in the waters just miles off the coast of Taiwan's 
largest harbor, Kaohsiung. The United States responded swiftly and 
effectively, by dispatching aircraft carriers to the Taiwan Straits to 
show the Chinese government our strong opposition to its actions.
  Our response in 1996 was based on the provisions of the 1979 Taiwan 
Relations Act, which stipulated that the United States consider ``any 
effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means . 
. . of grave concern to the United States.'' Our response now should be 
based on this same principle.
  1999 marks the 20th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act--the 
cornerstone of U.S. commitment to Taiwan's safety and security. We must 
commemorate this anniversary by sending a clear message to Beijing that 
their acts of aggression and intimidation against Taiwan need to cease. 
Beijing must understand that, as we have in the past, we will come to 
the aid of Taiwan in case of a Chinese threat.
  I am proud to be a co-sponsor of H. Con. Res. 22 which concludes that 
``the United States should help Taiwan defend itself in case of threats 
or a military attack by the People's Republic of China against 
Taiwan.'' This resolution repeats the provisions of one I introduced in 
1997, which was passed by the House of Representatives later that year.
  Mr. Speaker, let us pass H. Con. Res. 22 now, and let us send a 
strong message to Beijing that we will not stand idly by while our 
friends on Taiwan are bullied into submission by Chinese military 
might.

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