RESOLUTION URGES THE PRC TO WITHDRAW ITS MISSILES FROM FUKIEN PROVINCE

Late last night, seven Representatives led by Congressman Robert Andrews (D-NJ) and Congressman Joel Hefley (R-CO) -vice-chair of the House Armed Services Committee- introduced a resolution (HCR232) calling upon the PRC to withdraw its missiles that are currently positioned in its coastal province of Fukien and which are targeted at Taiwanese shore, and to renounce the use of force against Taiwan. The introduction of the resolution comes on the fifty-fourth anniversary of a momentous occasion in U.S.-Taiwan relations. On June 27th, 1949, President Harry S. Truman dispatched the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet to protect Taiwan from a possible invasion by Communist China.

The resolution concludes that

1) Congress has grave concerns about the PRC's deployment of hundreds of ballistic missiles directed towards Taiwan, which threaten security and stability in the Taiwan Strait;

2) The President should direct all appropriate United States officials to raise these concerns with Chinese officials and should seek from the leaders of the PRC a public and immediate unequivocal renunciation of any threat or use of force against Taiwan."

It continues:

4) If China does not dismantle the missiles that threaten Taiwan, the President should release the Aegis system to Taiwan enabling Taiwan to defend itself against the threat of a missile attack by China;

5) The United States maintains that the future of Taiwan shall be determined peacefully and with the express consent of the people of Taiwan."

FAPA President, Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D., states: "The introduction of this resolution is another step towards addressing an issue of grave concern to all Taiwanese. It is utterly unacceptable that the people of Taiwan live their daily lives with a gun pointed to their heads.  They have a right to live in peace, without this constant military threat."

Wu continues: "The resolution concludes that the future of Taiwan must be determined peacefully, with the express consent of the people of Taiwan. A democratic mechanism such as a plebiscite would be best. The U.S. is the main crusader for freedom and democracy around the world and can therefore ill afford to tell the people of Taiwan not to hold a referendum. There can be no double standard when it comes to exercising democracy."