108th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. CON. RES. 117
Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States Government should reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of United States relations with Taiwan, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 25, 2003
Mr. WEXLER (for himself, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. ROHRABACHER, and Mr. BROWN of Ohio) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States Government should reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act 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 (Public Law 96-8) and the United States commitment to Taiwan;

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act was advanced by Congress and supported by the executive branch as the cornerstone of United States 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 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--

(1) the United States Government should reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8) as the cornerstone of United States 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 an immediate and unequivocal public 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 Taiwan Relations Act, to publicly support a United States-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement.

Source: US Senate