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HCR232 - TAIWAN
SECURITY RESOLUTION
Reps.
Robert Andrews, Joel Hefley, Mike Pence, Pete Sessions, Marc
Souder, Dan Burton, David Wu introduced the following
resolution on June 26, 2003:
Whereas for more than 50 years
a close relationship has existed between the United States and
Taiwan which has been of enormous economic, cultural and
strategic advantage to both countries;
Whereas Taiwan
today is a full-fledged democracy with a vibrant economy and a
vigorous multi-party political system that respects human
rights and the rule of law;
Whereas Taiwan is
a democratic ally of the United States that provided
humanitarian and financial assistance to Afghanistan at the
request of the United States and offered support to the
coalition war against Iraq;
Whereas the
security of the 23 million people in Taiwan is threatened by
the People's Republic of China's deployment of over 400
short-range ballistic missiles targeted at Taiwan, and the
purchase of advanced weaponry systems, such as Su-27 and Su-30
fighters, Kilo submarines, and Sovremenny destroyers;
Whereas Taiwan
was threatened by China's missile exercises in August 1995 and
again in March 1996 when Taiwan was conducting its first free
and direct presidential elections;
Whereas section 2
(b) (4) of the Taiwan Relations Act considers any effort to
determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means,
including by boycotts or embargoes, a threat to the peace and
security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to
the United States;
Whereas section 2
(b) (6) of 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 in his
January 17, 2001 confirmation hearing as Secretary of State,
General Colin Powell stated that "We will stand by Taiwan and
will provide for the defense needs of Taiwan in accordance
with the Taiwan Relations Act and the subsequent communiques";
Whereas President
Bush stated on April 24, 2001 that the United States will do
whatever it takes to help Taiwan defend herself;
Whereas in his
testimony before the House International Relations Committee
and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in February and
March of 2002, Admiral Dennis Blair of the U.S. Pacific
Command testified that "China continued to build and exercises
its force of short-range ballistic missiles ranging Taiwan. It
still seeks to develop a range of military options to
influence and intimidate Taiwan, and has not abandoned the
option of using force to resolve Taiwan's status;"
Whereas the
U.S.-China Security Review Commission report to Congress of
July 2002 stated that "China is enhancing its capability to
carry out attacks across the Taiwan Strait with its special
operations forces, air forces and navy and missiles forces
with little notice" and that "the Commission recommends that
the U.S. along with its allies should continue to call upon
China to renounce the threat of or the use of force against
Taiwan";
Now, therefore,
be it resolved by the House of Representatives,
That is it the
sense of the Congress that
(1) Congress has
grave concerns about the People's Republic of China's
deployment of hundreds of ballistic missiles directed toward
Taiwan which threaten the 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 People's Republic of China a public and
immediate unequivocal renunciation of any threat or use of
force against Taiwan;
(3) The President
should affirm with the People's Republic of China that there
will not be a quid pro quo between Chinese dismantling of
missiles and the United States arms sales to Taiwan;
(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.
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