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| HCR
117 - Commemorating TRA 24th Anniversary, Reaffirming U.S. Commitment
to Taiwan's Security |
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HCR117 March 25, 2003
Expressing
the sense of Congress that the United States Government should
reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Acts as
the cornerstone of United States relations with Taiwan, and for
other purposes.
Whereas
April 10, 2003, marks the 24th anniversary of the enactment of the
Taiwan Relations Act and America's commitment to Taiwan;
Whereas
the Taiwan Relations Act was advanced by Congress and supported by
the executive branch as the cornerstone of American ties with
Taiwan;
Whereas
the Taiwan Relations Act has been instrumental in maintaining peace,
security, and stability in the Taiwan Strait since its enactment in
1979;
Whereas,
when the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted, it affirmed that the
United States decision to establish diplomatic relations with the
People's Republic of China was based on the expectation that the
future of Taiwan would be determined by peaceful means;
Whereas
the People's Republic of China refuses to renounce the use of force
against Taiwan;
Whereas
the Taiwan Relations Act provides explicit guarantees that the
United States will make available defense articles and services
necessary in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to
maintain a sufficient self-defense capability;
Whereas
it is the policy of the United States to reject any attempt to curb
the provision by the United States of defense articles and services
legitimately needed for Taiwan's self-defense;
Whereas
the Taiwan Relations Act requires the United States to maintain the
capacity 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;
Whereas
the Taiwan Relations act affirms the preservation and enhancement of
the human rights of the people on Taiwan as objectives of the United
States;
Whereas
the Taiwan Relations Act requires the United States to maintain the
capacity 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;
Whereas
it is the policy set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act to promote
extensive commercial relations between the people of the United
States and the people on Taiwan and such commercial relations would
be further enhanced by negotiating a United States-Taiwan Free Trade
Agreement;
Whereas
Taiwan today is a full-fledged multi-party democracy respecting
human rights and civil liberties; 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 House of Representatives (the
Senate concurring),
That
it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1)
the United States should reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the
Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8) as the cornerstone of U.S.
relations with Taiwan;
(2)
Congress has grave concerns regarding the military modernization and
weapons procurement program of the People's Republic of China, and
particularly regarding its deployment of hundreds of missiles in
Fukien province directed toward Taiwan;
(3)
the President should direct all appropriate United States officials
to raise these grave concerns regarding military threats to Taiwan
with officials from the People's Republic of China;
(4)
the President should seek from the leaders of the People's Republic
of China a public an immediate and unequivocal renunciation of any
use of force, or threat to use force, against Taiwan.
(5)
the United States Government should continue to encourage a regional
high-level dialogue on the best means to ensure stability, peace,
freedom of the seas, and deterrence in East Asia;
(6)
the President should encourage further dialogue between democratic
Taiwan and the People's Republic of China; and
(7)
it should be United States policy in conformity with the Taiwan
Relations Act to publicly support a United States-Taiwan Free Trade
Agreement.
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