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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 43 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 43

 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding proposed missile tests by 
                    the People's Republic of China.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 6, 1996

 Mr. Thomas (for himself, Mr. Helms, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. Simon, and Mr. 
Mack) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding proposed missile tests by 
                    the People's Republic of China.

Whereas the People's Republic of China, in a clear attempt to intimidate the 
        people and Government of Taiwan, has over the past 8 months conducted a 
        series of military exercises, including missile tests, within alarmingly 
        close proximity to Taiwan;
Whereas on March 5, 1996, the Xinhua News Agency announced that the People's 
        Republic of China will conduct missile tests from March 8 through March 
        15, 1996, within 25 to 35 miles of the 2 principal northern and southern 
        ports of Taiwan, Kaohsiung and Keelung;
Whereas the proximity of these tests to the ports and the accompanying warnings 
        for ships and aircraft to avoid the test areas will result in the 
        effective blockading of the ports, and the probable disruption of 
        international shipping, for the duration of the tests;
Whereas these tests are a clear escalation of the attempts by the People's 
        Republic of China to intimidate Taiwan and influence the outcome of the 
        upcoming democratic presidential election in Taiwan;
Whereas the decision of the United States to establish diplomatic relations with 
        the Peoples' Republic of China rested upon the expectation that the 
        future of Taiwan would be settled solely by peaceful means;
Whereas the strong interest of the United States in the peaceful settlement of 
        the Taiwan question is one of the central premises of the three United 
        States-China Joint Communiques and was codified in the Taiwan Relations 
        Act;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that peace and stability in the western 
        Pacific ``are in the political, security, and economic interests of the 
        United States, and are matters of international concern'';
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that the United States 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 the Taiwan Relations Act directs the President to ``inform Congress 
        promptly of any threat to the security or the social or economic system 
        of the people on Taiwan and any danger to the interests of the United 
        States arising therefrom'';
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act further directs that ``the President and the 
        Congress shall determine, in accordance with constitutional process, 
        appropriate action by the United States in response to any such 
        danger'';
Whereas the United States, the People's Republic of China, and the Government of 
        Taiwan have each previously expressed their commitment to the resolution 
        of the Taiwan question through peaceful means; and
Whereas these missile tests and accompanying statements made by the Government 
        of the People's Republic of China call into serious question the 
        commitment of China to the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the United States deplores the missile tests that the 
        People's Republic of China will conduct from March 8 through 
        March 15, 1996, and views them as a threat to the peace, 
        security, and stability of Taiwan and not in the spirit of the 
        three United States-China Joint Communiques;
            (2) the Government of the People's Republic of China should 
        cease its bellicose actions directed at Taiwan and instead 
        enter into meaningful dialogue with the Government of Taiwan at 
        the highest levels, such as through the Straits Exchange 
        Foundation in Taiwan and the Association for Relations Across 
        the Taiwan Straits in Beijing, with an eye towards decreasing 
        tensions and resolving the issue of the future of Taiwan;
            (3) the President, consistent with section 3(c) of the 
        Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3302(c)), should immediately 
        consult with Congress on an appropriate United States response 
        to the tests; and
            (4) the President should, consistent with the Taiwan 
        Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), reexamine the nature 
        and quantity of defense articles and services that may be 
        necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-
        defense capability in light of the heightened threat.
                                 <all>
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