IV
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 221
Expressing the sense of the Congress that it is the policy of the United
States that the future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through
a democratic mechanism with the express consent of the people of Taiwan
and free from outside threats, intimidation, or interference.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 6, 2001
Mr. WEXLER (for himself, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. STUMP, Mr.
KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. WYNN, Mr.
ANDREWS, Mr. WU, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, and Mr. DEUTSCH) submitted
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that it is the policy
of the United States that the future of Taiwan should
be resolved peacefully through a democratic mechanism
with the express consent of the people of Taiwan and
free from outside threats, intimidation, or interference.
Whereas September 8, 2001, marks the 50th anniversary of
the San Francisco Peace Treaty;
Whereas in the San Francisco Peace Treaty, Japan re-
nounced all right, title, and claim to Taiwan;
Whereas the signatories of the San Francisco Peace Treaty
left the status of Taiwan undetermined;
•HCON 221 IH
Whereas the universally accepted principal of self-determina-
tion is enshrined in article 1 of the United Nations Char-
ter;
Whereas the United States is a signatory of the United Na-
tions Charter;
Whereas the United States recognizes and supports that a
right to self-determination exists as a fundamental right
of all peoples, as set forth in numerous United Nations
instruments;
Whereas the people of Taiwan are committed to the prin-
ciples of freedom, justice, and democracy as evidenced by
the March 18, 2000, election of Mr. Chen Shui-bian as
Taiwan’s President;
Whereas the 1993 Montevideo Convention on Rights and Du-
ties of States defines the qualifications of a nation-state
as a defined territory, a permanent population, and a
government capable of entering into relations with other
states;
Whereas on February 24, 2000, and March 8, 2000, former
President Clinton stated: ‘‘We will continue to make ab-
solutely clear that the issues between Beijing and Taiwan
must be resolved peacefully and with the assent of the
people of Taiwan’’;
Whereas both the 2000 Republican party platform and the
Democratic party platform emphasized and made clear
the belief that the future of Taiwan should be determined
with the consent of the people of Taiwan;
Whereas on February 1, 2000, the House of Representatives
overwhelmingly passed H.R. 1838, the Taiwan Security
Enhancement Act, in which section 2(4) states ‘‘[a]ny de-
•HCON 221 IH
termination of the ultimate status of Taiwan must have
the express consent of the people on Taiwan’’;
Whereas Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said in
a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on March
16, 2001, that ‘‘[w]hat has changed is that any eventual
agreement that is arrived at has to be acceptable to the
majority of the people on Taiwan’’; and
Whereas in April 2001 President George W. Bush stated that
the United States will help Taiwan defend itself if at-
tacked by China: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) it is the policy of the United States that the
future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully,
through a democratic mechanism such as a plebiscite
and with the express consent of the people of Tai-
wan; and
(2) it is the policy of the United States that
Taiwan’s future should be decided by the people of
Taiwan without outside threats, intimidation, or in-
terference.
Æ