III
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 148
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 20, 1996
Received
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States
is committed to military stability in the Taiwan Strait
and the United States should assist in defending the
Republic of China (also known as Taiwan) in the event
of invasion, missile attack, or blockade by the People’s
Republic of China.
Whereas the United States began its long, peaceful, and
friendly relationship with the Republic of China on Tai-
wan in 1949;
Whereas since the enactment in 1979 of the Taiwan Rela-
tions Act, the policy of the United States has been based
on the expectation that the future relationship between
the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan will be deter-
HCON 148 RDS
mined by peaceful means and by mutual agreement be-
tween the parties;
Whereas the People’s Republic of China’s intense efforts to
intimidate Taiwan have reached a level that threatens to
undermine stability throughout the region;
Whereas, since the beginning of 1996, the leaders of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China have frequently threatened to use
military force against Taiwan;
Whereas for the past year the People’s Republic of China has
conducted military maneuvers designed to intimidate Tai-
wan both during its democratic legislative elections in
1995 and during the period preceding democratic presi-
dential elections in March 1996;
Whereas these military maneuvers and tests have included
the firing of 6 nuclear-capable missiles approximately 100
miles north of Taiwan in July 1995;
Whereas the firing of missiles near Taiwan and the interrup-
tion of international shipping and aviation lanes threaten
both Taiwan and the political, military, and commercial
interests of the United States and its allies;
Whereas in the face of such action, Taiwan is entitled to de-
fend itself from military aggression, including through
the development of an anti-ballistic missile defense sys-
tem;
Whereas the United States and Taiwan have enjoyed a long-
standing and uninterrupted friendship, which has only in-
creased in light of the remarkable economic development
and political liberalization in Taiwan in recent years;
Whereas Taiwan has achieved tremendous economic success
in becoming the 19th largest economy in the world;
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Whereas Taiwan has reached a historic turning point in the
development of Chinese democracy, as on March 23,
1996, it will conduct the first competitive, free, fair, di-
rect, and popular election of a head of state in over 4,000
years of recorded Chinese history;
Whereas for the past century the United States has promoted
democracy and economic freedom around the world, and
the evolution of Taiwan is an outstanding example of the
success of that policy;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act directs the President to
inform the Congress promptly of any threat to Taiwan’s
security and provides that the President and the Con-
gress shall determine, in accordance with constitutional
processes, appropriate United States action in response;
and
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 rests on the
premise that the United States will assist Taiwan should
it face any effort to determine its future by other than
peaceful means, including by boycotts or embargoes:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) the People’s Republic of China should im-
mediately live up to its commitment to the United
States to work for a peaceful resolution of any dis-
agreements with Taiwan, and accordingly desist
from military actions designed to intimidate Taiwan;
(2) the People’s Republic of China should en-
gage in negotiations to discuss any outstanding
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points of disagreement with Taiwan without any
threat of military or economic coercion against Tai-
wan;
(3) Taiwan has stated and should adhere to its
commitment to negotiate its future relations with
the People’s Republic of China by mutual decision,
not unilateral action;
(4) the United States should maintain its ca-
pacity 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 on Taiwan,
consistent with its undertakings in the Taiwan Rela-
tions Act;
(5) the United States should maintain a naval
presence sufficient to keep open the sea lanes in and
near the Taiwan Strait;
(6) in the face of the several overt military
threats by the People’s Republic of China against
Taiwan, and consistent with the commitment of the
United States under the Taiwan Relations Act, the
United States should supply Taiwan with defensive
weapons systems, including naval vessels, aircraft,
and air defense, all of which are crucial to the secu-
rity of Taiwan; and
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(7) the United States, in accordance with the
Taiwan Relations Act and the constitutional process
of the United States, and consistent with its friend-
ship with and commitment to the democratic govern-
ment and people of Taiwan, should assist in defend-
ing them against invasion, missile attack, or block-
ade by the People’s Republic of China.
Passed the House of Representatives March 19,
1996.
Attest:
ROBIN H. CARLE,
Clerk.