106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 292
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas section 2(c) of the Taiwan Relations Act (Public
Law 96–8) states ‘‘[t]he preservation and enhancement
of the human rights of all the people on Taiwan’’ to be
an objective of the United States;
Whereas Taiwan has become a multiparty democracy in
which all citizens have the right to participate freely in
the political process;
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Whereas the people of Taiwan have, by their vigorous partici-
pation in electoral campaigns and public debate,
strengthened the foundations of a free and democratic
way of life;
Whereas Taiwan successfully conducted a presidential elec-
tion on March 18, 2000;
Whereas President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan has actively sup-
ported the consolidation of democratic institutions and
processes in Taiwan since 1988 when he became Presi-
dent;
Whereas this election represents the first such transition of
national office from one elected leader to another in the
history of Chinese societies;
Whereas the continued democratic development of Taiwan is
a matter of fundamental importance to the advancement
of United States interests in East Asia and is supported
by the United States Congress and the American people;
Whereas a stable and peaceful security environment in East
Asia is essential to the furtherance of democratic develop-
ments in Taiwan and other countries, as well as to the
protection of human rights throughout the region;
Whereas since 1972 United States policy toward the People’s
Republic of China has been predicated upon, as stated in
section 2(b)(3) of the Taiwan Relations Act, ‘‘the expec-
tation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by
peaceful means’’;
Whereas section 2(b)(6) of the Taiwan Relations Act further
pledges ‘‘to maintain the capacity of the United States to
resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that
would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic
system, of the people of Taiwan’’;
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Whereas on June 9, 1998, the House of Representatives
voted unanimously to adopt House Concurrent Resolution
270 that called upon the President of the United States
to seek ‘‘a public renunciation by the People’s Republic
of China of any use of force, or threat to use force,
against democratic Taiwan’’;
Whereas the People’s Republic of China has consistently re-
fused to renounce the use of force against Taiwan;
Whereas the State Council, an official organ at the highest
level of the Government of the People’s Republic of
China, issued a ‘‘white paper’’ on February 21, 2000,
which threatened ‘‘to adopt all drastic measures possible,
including the use of force,’’ if Taiwan indefinitely delays
entering into negotiations with the People’s Republic of
China on the issue of reunification; and
Whereas the February 21, 2000, statement by the State
Council significantly escalates tensions across the Taiwan
Straits and sets forth a new condition that has not here-
tofore been stated regarding the conditions that would
prompt the People’s Republic of China to use force
against Taiwan: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That—
(1) the people of Taiwan are to be congratu-
lated for the successful conclusion of presidential
elections on March 18, 2000, and for their con-
tinuing efforts in developing and sustaining a free,
democratic society which respects human rights and
embraces free markets;
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(2) President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan is to be
congratulated for his significant contributions to
freedom and democracy on Taiwan;
(3) President-elect Chen Shui-bian and Vice
President-elect Annette Hsiu-lien Lu of Taiwan are
to be congratulated for their victory, and they have
the strong support and best wishes of the House of
Representatives and the American people for a suc-
cessful administration;
(4) it is the sense of the Congress that the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China should refrain from making
provocative threats against Taiwan and should in-
stead undertake steps that would lead to a sub-
stantive dialogue, including a renunciation of the use
of force against Taiwan and progress toward democ-
racy, the rule of law, and protection of human and
religious rights in the People’s Republic of China;
and
(5) the provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act
(Public Law 96–8) are hereby affirmed as the statu-
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tory standard by which United States policy toward
Taiwan shall be determined.
Passed the House of Representatives March 28,
2000.
Attest:
Clerk.