[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5377-5378]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            REAFFIRMING OUR SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETE SESSIONS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2006

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled 
to visit Washington, DC, later this month. Mr. Hu is most likely to 
discuss trade, currency, North Korea, Iran and Taiwan with President 
Bush. I ask President Bush to not yield to Chinese demands on Taiwan 
but to reaffirm our long standing support for Taiwan and its people.

[[Page 5378]]

  During the 1995-1996 Taiwan Strait missile crises, President Clinton 
sent two aircraft carrier battle groups into the region. Since then, 
the Chinese military has greatly expanded its capabilities and deployed 
hundreds of missiles targeting Taiwan. As the Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman mentioned in 
his remarks before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review 
Commission, ``U.S. policy opposes unilateral changes in the Taiwan 
Strait status quo by either party. The PLA military build-up changes 
that status quo and requires us to adapt to the new situation, as we 
are doing now.'' Therefore, we must help the Taiwanese people to 
protect themselves in the event of a military conflict in the Strait.
  Taiwan is very worried about China's military intentions. Last March, 
the Chinese enacted the anti-secession law, which gives them the right 
to use force against Taiwan. Chinese leaders have consistently 
maintained that military action is a viable possibility.
  I ask President Bush to persuade Mr. Hu to withdraw Chinese missiles 
from the Strait, to rescind the anti-secession law and to resume a 
dialogue with Taiwan's elected leaders.
  Peace in the Strait is important to the United States, China, and 
Taiwan. The 23 million people of Taiwan have worked hard to earn their 
democratic way of life and they should be allowed to determine their 
own future. Keeping the freedom of the Taiwanese people secure is a 
matter of deepest concern to all of us.

                          ____________________