IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 117
Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States Government should 
reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act as 
the cornerstone of United States relations with Taiwan, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2003
Mr. WEXLER (for himself, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. ROHRABACHER, and Mr. BROWN 
of Ohio) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on International Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States 
Government should reaffirm its unwavering commitment 
to the Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of United 
States relations with Taiwan, and for other purposes.
Whereas April 10, 2003, marks the 24th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96–
8) and the United States commitment to Taiwan; 
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act was advanced by Congress 
and supported by the executive branch as the cornerstone 
of United States ties with Taiwan; 
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act has been instrumental in 
maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Taiwan 
Strait since its enactment in 1979;
•HCON 117 IH 
Whereas, when the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted, it af-
firmed that the United States decision to establish diplo-
matic relations with the People’s Republic of China was 
based on the expectation that the future of Taiwan would 
be determined by peaceful means; 
Whereas the People’s Republic of China refuses to renounce 
the use of force against Taiwan; 
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act provides explicit guaran-
tees that the United States will make available defense 
articles and services necessary in such quantity as may 
be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient 
self-defense capability; 
Whereas it is the policy of the United States to reject any 
attempt to curb the provision by the United States of de-
fense articles and services legitimately needed for Tai-
wan’s self-defense; 
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act requires the United States 
to maintain the capacity to resist any resort to force or 
other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the secu-
rity, or the social or economic system, of the people on 
Taiwan; 
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act affirms the preservation 
and enhancement of the human rights of the people on 
Taiwan as objectives of the United States; 
Whereas it is the policy set forth in the Taiwan Relations Act 
to promote extensive commercial relations between the 
people of the United States and the people on Taiwan 
and such commercial relations would be further enhanced 
by negotiating a United States-Taiwan Free Trade 
Agreement;
•HCON 117 IH 
Whereas Taiwan today is a full-fledged multi-party democ-
racy respecting human rights and civil liberties; and 
Whereas any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future by other 
than peaceful means and other than with the express 
consent of the people of Taiwan would be considered of 
grave concern to the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That—
(1) the United States Government should reaf-
firm its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Re-
lations Act (Public Law 96–8) as the cornerstone of 
United States relations with Taiwan; 
(2) Congress has grave concerns regarding the 
military modernization and weapons procurement 
program of the People’s Republic of China, and par-
ticularly regarding its deployment of hundreds of 
missiles in Fukien province directed toward Taiwan; 
(3) the President should direct all appropriate 
United States officials to raise these grave concerns 
regarding military threats to Taiwan with officials 
from the People’s Republic of China; 
(4) the President should seek from the leaders 
of the People’s Republic of China an immediate and 
unequivocal public renunciation of any use of force, 
or threat to use force, against Taiwan;
•HCON 117 IH 
(5) the United States Government should con-
tinue to encourage a regional high-level dialogue on 
the best means to ensure stability, peace, freedom of 
the seas, and deterrence in East Asia; 
(6) the President should encourage further dia-
logue between democratic Taiwan and the People’s 
Republic of China; and 
(7) it should be United States policy, in con-
formity with Taiwan Relations Act, to publicly sup-
port a United States-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement.
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