III
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 301
IN THE SENATE OF THE THE UNITED STATES
JULY 21, 1998
Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Affirming the United States commitment to Taiwan.
Whereas at no time since the establishment of the People’s
Republic of China on October 1, 1949, has Taiwan been
under the control of the People’s Republic of China;
Whereas the United States began its long, peaceful, friendly
relationship with Taiwan in 1949;
Whereas since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act in
1979, the policy of the United States has been based on
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the expectation that the further relationship between the
People’s Republic of China and Taiwan would be deter-
mined by peaceful means;
Whereas in March 1996, the People’s Republic of China held
provocative military maneuvers including missile launch
exercises in the Taiwan Strait, in an attempt to intimi-
date the people of Taiwan during their historic, free, and
democratic Presidential election;
Whereas officials of the People’s Republic of China refuse to
renounce the use of force against democratic Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan has achieved significant political and eco-
nomic strength as one of the world’s premier democracies
and as the 19th largest economy in the world;
Whereas Taiwan is the 7th largest trading partner of the
United States;
Whereas no agreements exist between the People’s Republic
of China and Taiwan that determine the future status of
Taiwan; and
Whereas the House of Representatives passed a resolution by
a vote of 411–0 in June 1998 urging the President to
seek, during his recent summit meeting in Beijing, a pub-
lic renunciation by the People’s Republic of China of any
use of force, or threat of use of force, against democratic
Taiwan: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress—
(1) affirms its longstanding commitment to
Taiwan and the people of Taiwan in accordance with
the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96–8);
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(2) affirms its expectation, consistent with the
Taiwan Relations Act, that the future status of Tai-
wan will be determined by peaceful means, and that
the people of both sides of the Taiwan Strait should
determine their own future, and considers any effort
to determine or influence the future status of Tai-
wan by other than peaceful means a threat to the
peace and security of the Western Pacific region and
of grave concern to the United States;
(3) affirms its commitment, consistent with the
Taiwan Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan
such defense articles and defense services, including
appropriate ballistic missile defenses, in such quan-
tities as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to main-
tain a sufficient self-defense capability;
(4) affirms its commitment, consistent with the
Taiwan Relations Act, that only the President and
Congress shall determine the nature and quantity of
defense articles and services for Taiwan based solely
upon their judgment of the defensive needs of Tai-
wan;
(5) urges the President, once again, to seek a
public renunciation by the People’s Republic of
China of any use of force, or threat of use of force,
against the free people of Taiwan; and
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(6) affirms its strong support, in accordance
with the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act, of ap-
propriate membership for Taiwan in international fi-
nancial institutions and other international organiza-
tions.
Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 1998.
Attest:
ROBIN H. CARLE,
Clerk.