IV

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 401

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding high-level visits by Taiwanese

officials to the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 14, 2000

Mr. GEJDENSON (for himself, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. LANTOS,

Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr.

SESSIONS, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. SOUDER, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. WEXLER, Mr.

SCHAFFER, Mr. WU, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Ms. PELOSI, and

Mr. BILIRAKIS) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was

referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding high-level

visits by Taiwanese officials to the United States.

Whereas Taiwan is the seventh largest trading partner of the

United States and plays an important role in the economy of the Asia-Pacific region;

Whereas Taiwan routinely holds free and fair elections in a

multiparty system, as evidenced most recently by Taiwan’s second democratic presidential election of March

18, 2000, in which Mr. Chen Shui-bian was elected as

president of the 23,000,000 people of Taiwan;
2

•HCON 401 IH

Whereas Members of Congress, unlike executive branch officials, have long had the freedom to meet with leaders of

governments with which the United States does not have

formal relations—meetings which provide a vital opportunity to discuss issues of mutual concern that directly

affect United States national interests;

Whereas several Members of Congress expressed interest in

meeting with President Chen Shui-bian during his 16-

hour layover in Los Angeles, California, en route to Latin

America and Africa on August 13, 2000;

Whereas the meeting with President Chen did not take place

because of pressure from Washington and Beijing;

Whereas the Congress thereby lost the opportunity to communicate directly with President Chen about developments in the Asia-Pacific region and key elements of the

relationship between the United States and Taiwan when

he visited Los Angeles;

Whereas there could not be a more important time to find

opportunities to talk to Taiwan’s new leaders given the

enormous economic, security, and political interests we

share with both Taiwan and the People’s Republic of

China, as well as the results of the recent election in Taiwan which provided for the first party leadership change

in Taiwan’s history.

Whereas the Congress must continue to play an independent

oversight role on United States policy toward Taiwan,

and try to find ways to reduce the threat of war between

Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China, and in particular, to counteract China’s buildup of missiles pointed

at Taiwan;
3

•HCON 401 IH

Whereas the United States continues to cling to its policy of

more than 20 years, which prohibits high-ranking Taiwan

leaders from making official visits to the United States,

forcing Members of Congress to choose whether to rely

solely upon indirect assessments provided by the administration or to travel to Taiwan to obtain this information

firsthand, and denying Taiwan’s democratically elected

officials the respect they deserve;

Whereas, by bestowing upon President Chen the respect his

office deserves, the United States would have demonstrated to the people of both Taiwan and the People’s

Republic of China United States support for democracy;

and

Whereas the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–416) provides that

the President of Taiwan shall be welcome in the United

States at any time to discuss a host of important issues:

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) it is in the interest of the Congress and the

4 executive branch of the United States to commu5 nicate directly with elected and appointed top offi6 cials of Taiwan, including its democratically elected

7 president; and

8 (2) the United States should revise, with a view

9 toward reducing, restrictions on high-level visits by

10 officials of Taiwan to the United States.

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