U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

64–590 CC WASHINGTON : 2000

CONGRATULATING THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN FOR

THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ON MARCH 18, 2000,

AND REAFFIRMING THE UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD TAIWAN AND THE PEOPLE’S

REPUBLIC OF CHINA

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

MARCH 22, 2000

Serial No. 106–105

Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations

(

(II)

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York, Chairman

WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania

JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa

HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois

DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey

DAN BURTON, Indiana

ELTON GALLEGLY, California

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida

CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina

DANA ROHRABACHER, California

DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California

PETER T. KING, New York

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio

MARSHALL ‘‘MARK’’ SANFORD, South

Carolina

MATT SALMON, Arizona

AMO HOUGHTON, New York

TOM CAMPBELL, California

JOHN M. MCHUGH, New York

KEVIN BRADY, Texas

RICHARD BURR, North Carolina

PAUL E. GILLMOR, Ohio

GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California

JOHN COOKSEY, Louisiana

THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado

SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut

TOM LANTOS, California

HOWARD L. BERMAN, California

GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American

Samoa

MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California

DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey

ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey

SHERROD BROWN, Ohio

CYNTHIA A. MCKINNEY, Georgia

ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida

PAT DANNER, Missouri

EARL F. HILLIARD, Alabama

BRAD SHERMAN, California

ROBERT WEXLER, Florida

STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey

JIM DAVIS, Florida

EARL POMEROY, North Dakota

WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York

BARBARA LEE, California

JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York

JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Pennsylvania

RICHARD J. GARON, Chief of Staff

KATHLEEN BERTELSEN MOAZED, Democratic Chief of Staff

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska, Chairman

JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa

DANA ROHRABACHER, California

PETER T. KING, New York

MARSHALL ‘‘MARK’’ SANFORD, South

Carolina

MATT SALMON, Arizona

JOHN MCHUGH, New York

RICHARD BURR, North Carolina

PAUL GILLMOR, Ohio

DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California

JOHN COOKSEY, Louisiana

TOM LANTOS, California

HOWARD L. BERMAN, California

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American

Samoa

MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California

SHERROD BROWN, Ohio

ROBERT WEXLER, Florida

JIM DAVIS, Florida

EARL POMEROY, North Dakota

GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York

ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida

MICHAEL P. ENNIS, Subcommittee Staff Director

DR. ROBERT KING, Democratic Professional Staff Member

MATT REYNOLDS, Counsel

ALICIA A. O’DONNELL, Staff Associate

(III)

C O N T E N T S

APPENDIX

Page

Bills:

H. Con Res.292 ........................................................................................................ 8

Additional materials for the record:

A statement from the Honorable Sherrod Brown, a Representative in Congress from Ohio .................................................................................................... 12

(1)

CONGRATULATING THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN

FOR THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ON MARCH 18,

2000, AND REAFFIRMING THE UNITED

STATES POLICY TOWARD TAIWAN AND THE

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Wednesday, March 22, 2000

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC,

Washington, D.C.,

The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:13 p.m., Hon.

Doug Bereuter [Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding.

Mr. BEREUTER. Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific meets in

open session to consider a resolution. May I say, how much I appreciate my colleague, Tom Lantos, the Ranking Member of this Subcommittee?

The clerk will read House Concurrent Resolution 292—Congratulating the people of Taiwan on the recent elections.

CLERK. COOKSEY. House Concurrent Resolution 292, a concurrent resolution congratulating the people of Taiwan for the successful conclusion of Presidential elections on March 18, 2000, and reaffirming United States policy toward Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China. Whereas, section 2——

Mr. BEREUTER. Without objection, further reading of the resolution will be dispensed with, printed in the record in full, and open

for amendments.

[The resolution appears in the appendix.]

Mr. BEREUTER. This resolution was introduced by the Majority

Leader to congratulate the people of Taiwan for the successful conclusion of their presidential election on March 18. Indeed, this election represents the first such transition of national office from one

elected leader to another elected leader in the very long history of

Chinese society, and, of course, it marks a change in the party affiliation from the current leadership of Taiwan.

The people of Taiwan are to be congratulated for their continuing

efforts in developing and sustaining a free, democratic society

which respects human rights and embraces free markets. Contrary

to the claims of those trying to defend Communism and other authoritarian forms of government, this election clearly demonstrates

that democracy works in China and that the Chinese people yearn

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for it and would flourish with it. The success of democracy in Taiwan is, indeed, a powerful model for the mainland.

This resolution also acknowledges that a stable and peaceful security environment in East Asia is essential to the furthering

democratic developments in Taiwan and other countries, and it reaffirms U.S. policy toward Taiwan as set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act. In this regard, the resolution appropriately expresses the

sense of Congress that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) should

abandon its present provocative threats against Taiwan and that

the PRC should undertake steps that would lead to substantive

dialogue, including a renunciation of the use of force against Taiwan and the encouragement of democracy, to the rule of law, and

to the protections of human and religious rights in the People’s Republic of China.

I am encouraged that since the election in Taiwan, Beijing has

curtailed, to a certain degree, its aggressive and unhelpful rhetoric

and that it appears again, to a certain degree, to be extending the

offer for a renewed dialogue. It is an offer which I hope is presented in good faith. Across the strait, President-elect Chen and

others in Taipei are also calling for a renewed dialogue with the

PRC and are already adopting the kind of responsible, statesmanlike policies, or at least rhetoric at this point, that could expand

and accelerate the dialogue. As you know, the inauguration isn’t

until May 20th.

I would like to point out to the Subcommittee Members that this

resolution is the product of input from Majority and Minority members, and that a similar resolution with this bipartisan language is

being introduced in the Senate. Our colleague, Mr. Lantos, and others have made very helpful suggestions which, by the way, have

been accepted by the Majority Leader.

I want to express my appreciation for the interest and support

of Mr. Lantos, the distinguished gentleman from California, for facilitating the prompt consideration of this resolution and for his unwavering support for human rights and democracy in East Asia

and throughout the world through his leadership on the Human

Rights Caucus. I turn to him for any comments he may wish to

make at this point. Mr. Lantos.

Mr. LANTOS. I thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and let me

fully reciprocate all of your very gracious comments. I am in full

support of the resolution. I think it is a carefully crafted resolution

and I hope that it will get overwhelming, if not unanimous support

when we take it to the floor.

I think it is important in dealing with China to understand, as

I know both you and our friend from California, Mr. Rohrabacher,

fully understand, that all of us view China as one of the great civilizations on this planet. There is nothing that we would like to see

more than increasingly harmonious and constructive and growing

relations with China, and in this instance, the example of Taiwan,

in having developed one of the most remarkable economic success

stories of the last period, while simultaneously transforming itself

from an authoritarian society to a full-fledged political democracy,

is one of the great success stories of the post-World War II era. It

is a remarkable phenomenon.

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When we support Taiwan and when we congratulate Taiwan, the

president-elect of Taiwan, we do so in a very genuine fashion.

There are no second thoughts behind our congratulations. You remember the old story of the two psychiatrists meeting on the

street, and one is telling the other, ‘‘Hello,’’and the second psychiatrist responding, ‘‘Hello.’’ Then they walk on, and then they both

stop and turn around and say, ‘‘I wonder what he meant by that.’’

We mean by this exactly what we are saying. We are congratulating the people of Taiwan for having achieved an incredible economic success story and for having built a political democracy.

Now, I think I speak for both you and Mr. Rohrabacher and myself,

this is what we all want. This is what we all want in Cuba. That

is what we all want everywhere.

This is not an anti-China statement, it is a statement congratulating the people of Taiwan and hoping the people of China will

move in a similar direction.

I think it is very important for the people who are in charge in

Beijing now to fully understand that whenever we express views

supportive of democracy, this is not a hidden slap at them. When,

several years ago, I introduced a resolution ordering the State Department to issue a visa to President Lee of Taiwan, it was not an

anti-Chinese move, it was a move recognizing that we, as a free society, should allow distinguished graduates of our own distinguished universities to visit the United States. That is not a subversive thought. It is not anti-anybody.

So, I want to commend you, Mr. Chairman, for your support of

this resolution. I am very pleased to support the resolution, and I

commend the Majority Leader for introducing it.

I yield the balance of my time.

Mr. BEREUTER. Thank you, Mr. Lantos. I believe the Majority

Leader would welcome co-sponsorships, and I intend to add my

name if he will have it. Perhaps the two gentlemen here would also

like to.

Are there further comments? The gentleman from California, Mr.

Rohrabacher.

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and

thank you, Mr. Lantos, for that very generous set of remarks.

Again, we often have disagreements, Mr. Lantos and I go at it

every now and then, but one of the great things that we have got

going for us here in America, that we want to share with everybody, is the fact that we all have a common commitment to freedom and liberty and justice, and treating people decently. That

overpowers anything where we could disagree, and most of our disagreements are just basically on interpretations and not anything

fundamental, and on this resolution, I think it is exemplified by

this resolution, by the fact I believe it will get unanimous—at least

bipartisan, if not unanimous support.

The people of Taiwan, they have just gone through a major historic event, and the Republic of China on Taiwan is now demonstrating that democracy will work within the context of a Chinese culture, and China being such an important civilization, that

this is a powerful historic statement. So we applaud this resolution

of what will applaud and I am sure does applaud, we applaud the

courage of the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan in this

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free election. They faced down threats, they faced down intimidation by an unelected regime on the mainland of China, and they

came through this belligerency, as I say, with strength and courage

of conviction, and held their elections, and their election was a

model for many people in the developing world.

The people of Taiwan, in fact, by having this free election in the

midst of this type of intimidation and belligerence on the part of

the mainland, have inspired all people who believe in liberty and

justice and democracy throughout the world. It is really an incredible inspiration.

I wonder how many people in our country, who sometimes don’t

even go out and vote, shouldn’t take note that here we have people

who are going out and voting in the most severe of situations,

where people are threatening to do them harm if they actually

went through with this democratic election. So, again, their courage has not only served themselves, but served the cause of human

freedom by inspiring other people throughout the world, and serves

as a model for developing countries, and, also, what we have seen

now serves as a model for the mainland.

The people on the mainland of China must be asking themselves

now, ‘‘Why can’t we have a say in directing our own destiny

through a free election?’’ This is the first time in history that a Chinese government will change, will transfer power from one group

of people to another based on the wishes of the people expressed

through a free election.

This is a model for the mainland of China. They have got prosperity, they have got freedom, and they have got a social cohesion

on Taiwan that would serve well on the mainland of China if they

only gave free government a chance.

So, I join you, Mr. Chairman, and join Mr. Lantos in this piece

of legislation. We congratulate President Lee for the good job that

he has done on Taiwan in these last 5 years, and we wish good

luck and best wishes to President-elect Chen, and we are with the

people of the Republic of China on Taiwan and all people who believe in democracy. Thank you.

Mr. BEREUTER. Thank you, Mr. Rohrabacher. It is indeed, as

mentioned, the first time that an elected Chinese government has

given way to another elected Chinese government.

Dr. Cooksey, we are about to go to the amendatory process, if

amendments are in order, so, if you do have an opening statement,

this would be the time to present it. Would you care to make any

comments?

Dr. COOKSEY. Just very briefly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too,

want to associate my remarks with several of the remarks of Mr.

Rohrabacher. Lee Teng-hui had done a great job, I think, as the

President, and he was really the first one that brought China—Taiwan or Nationalist China to some form of a democracy, and that

has really been in recent years. So they are not too many years

ahead of the PRC, but they were there, they have done a lot of the

right things.

I happen to have met President-elect Chen Shui-bian last August. He is a very bright guy; he is well-educated. He was not considered a serious candidate when I met him, but I think he is a

capable person, and, most importantly, he was elected through a

5

free and open democratic process. I am pleased to see that his vice

president is a woman, and, hopefully, we can make that much

progress in this democracy sometime in the not too distant future,

to elect a female vice president in this country.

I have confidence that the Nation of Taiwan will survive. I understand the desire of a lot of people on both sides of the Taiwan

Straits to have one China, and I think that is a decision to be made

by the Chinese people. I think it is a decision to be made through

a democratic process, again, and not through belligerence and

saber-rattling. There is a tendency to do that in that country, as

we do in this country too much, when there are political campaigns

going on.

But, again, my congratulations to the President-elect, Mr. Chen

Shui-bian and to his Vice President, Annette Hsiu-lu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. BEREUTER. Dr. Cooksey, thank you very much. If there is no

further introductory comment from Members, the resolution is

open for amendment at any point. Are there amendments to be offered?

[No response.]

Mr. BEREUTER. If there are no amendments, and, apparently

there are not, the question occurs on agreeing to the resolution. As

many as in favor will say aye.

[A chorus of ayes.]

Mr. BEREUTER. As many as opposed will say no.

[No noes.]

Mr. BEREUTER. The ayes have it, and the resolution is agreed to

without objection. The staff is authorized to make technical, grammatical, and conforming changes to the text just agreed to.

I thank my colleagues for their attendance at this mark-up, and

I want them to know that it is my understanding that it is the intention of the International Relations Committee to mark-up this

resolution tomorrow morning at the conclusion of the Committee’s

oversight hearing on U.S. policy toward Iraq and to mark-up another resolution coming from the International Operations and

Human Rights Subcommittee.

With that, I thank my colleagues again, and the Subcommittee

is adjourned.

[Whereupon, at 1:19 p.m., the Subcommittee adjourned.]

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A P P E N D I X

MARCH 22, 2000

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