IV

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 138

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the movement toward democracy by the 21,000,000 people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and

addressing the increasingly dangerous behavior of the People’s Republic

of China.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 31, 1996

Mr. SOLOMON (for himself, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. ROYCE, Mr.

ROHRABACHER, Mr. COX of California, and Mr. ACKERMAN) submitted

the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee

on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the movement toward democracy by the 21,000,000 people of

the Republic of China (Taiwan), and addressing the increasingly dangerous behavior of the People’s Republic

of China.

Whereas vital interests of the United States increasingly lie

in Asia, where 36 percent of the international trade of

the United States is conducted, the largest source of investment capital resides, the fastest-growing markets are

developing, and the major portion of world energy trade

routes and energy reserves may be found;
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Whereas the interests of the United States in regional stability, nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, democracy, and free trade are shared with several allies and

partners in the region, and it is critical that the emergence of a regional hegemonic power be prevented by effective and timely diplomacy and clearly stated policies,

incentives, and penalties;

Whereas United States policy should be driven by the values

and vital interests of the United States and must seek to

differentiate clearly between types of behavior that support and threaten such values and interests;

Whereas the people of the Republic of China (ROC) will have

a democratically elected government at every level when

the presidential elections are held in March of 1996;

Whereas the ROC, in less than 50 years, has increased its

per capita gross national product from $50 to $12,000,

acquired the world’s largest currency reserves, is the 13th

largest trading economy, is host to more than 2,600

United States companies, and is the shipping and communication hub of Asia—all while making a peaceful

transition to democracy;

Whereas the ROC, sharing with the United States the fundamental values of political, religious, and economic freedom, free trade, rule of law, tolerance for diversity, and

peaceful relations, is a model for the rapidly developing

and strategically critical Asian region;

Whereas the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has in recent

months staged numerous military exercises near the Taiwan Straits area, including tests of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles;
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Whereas the military exercises have caused a high degree of

tension in the Taiwan Straits area and serious concern

in the neighboring countries, who are mindful of the fact

that the People’s Liberation Army has initiated conflicts

with its neighbors, including Russia, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea in the past 45 years, and in the

United States, which is mindful of the thousands of its

soldiers lost in three major wars in Asia;

Whereas this concern is spurred by the 140 percent increase

in the military budget of the PRC in the past 6 years,

with particular concern arising from the concentration of

the PRC on airborne and amphibious rapid-deployment

capabilities supported by new submarines and aircraft, as

well as advanced negotiations to purchase aircraft carriers;

Whereas the PRC is the only nation that continues to officially target the United States with nuclear weapons, is

the only country other than Russia to operate road-mobile ballistic missiles, and is violating its pledges with respect to the development of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons;

Whereas the PRC continues to provide training, technology,

components, and complete nuclear and missile systems to

other countries, including hostile and unstable middle

east regimes such as those in Iran, Iraq, Syria;

Whereas the decision of the United States to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC, as expressed in the Taiwan

Relations Act, is based ‘‘upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means’’;

Whereas the people of Taiwan and the PRC have the right

to be represented respectively in the world community;
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Whereas the ROC has repeatedly stated that its participation

in international organizations is that of ‘‘parallel representation’’, with no intention of challenging the current

international status of the PRC;

Whereas international organizations such as the United Nations have established ample precedents concerning such

‘‘parallel representation’’, such as in the case of Korea

and Germany; and

Whereas Taiwan’s increasing international standing as a

leading market economy, a contributor of assistance to

other countries, and a democracy, and its membership in

the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the

Asian Development Bank, amplify the sense of the Senate as expressed in Senate Resolution 270, passed in October 1994, that Taiwan should become a member, at the

earliest possible time, of the World Trade Organization,

the International Monetary Fund, and the International

Bank for Reconstruction and Development: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) the President should take all appropriate

4 steps to acknowledge and embrace the full accession

5 to democratic status by the people of the Republic

6 of China (hereafter in this resolution referred to as

7 the ‘‘ROC’’) upon the successful completion of their

8 presidential election, and convey the support and ap9 preciation of the people of the United States for this
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1 accomplishment, which has been a goal long sup2 ported by the United States Government;

3 (2) any attempt by the People’s Republic of

4 China (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the

5 ‘‘PRC’’) to threaten the peace and stability of the

6 ROC is a threat to peace and security in the Pacific

7 and a matter of grave concern to the United States;

8 (3) the President should immediately undertake

9 intensified diplomatic initiatives to insist that the

10 PRC reduce tensions with the ROC by means of dia11 logue and other confidence building measures and

12 provide to the Congress, within 90 days after the

13 date on which this resolution is adopted, a report on

14 the progress of these initiatives;

15 (4) the President should immediately join the

16 Congress in condemning the use by the PRC of

17 ‘‘missile diplomacy’’, military intimidation, subver18 sion, or economic warfare against any sovereign

19 democratic country in the region, especially Taiwan;

20 (5) the President should immediately join the

21 Congress in condemning the recent implicit threats

22 by the PRC of missile attacks against the United

23 States as irresponsible, dangerous, unacceptable,

24 and a clear signal to the United States that greater
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1 attention be paid to the nuclear program of the

2 PRC;

3 (6) the President should, within 90 days after

4 the date on which this resolution is adopted, submit

5 to the Congress a comprehensive report on how to

6 accommodate Taiwan’s strong aspiration for partici7 pation in international organizations, in particular

8 the functional organizations such as the World

9 Trade Organization, the International Monetary

10 Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction

11 and Development, the International Maritime Orga12 nization, the International Civil Aviation Organiza13 tion, the International Telecommunications Union,

14 and INTELSAT;

15 (7) the President should review the defense

16 needs of the ROC, under the terms of the Taiwan

17 Relations Act, and take appropriate actions on the

18 basis of that review; and

19 (8) the President should, within 30 days after

20 the date on which this resolution is adopted, submit

21 to the Congress a report on the range of options

22 available to provide the people of Taiwan, and the

23 100,000 United States forces in the east Asian re24 gion, with adequate warning and defense capabilities

25 against ballistic missiles of the PRC and naval
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1 blockades and other forms of military aggression by

2 the PRC.

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