| HCON 67IH 107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 67
Expressing the sense of the Congress relating to the
Taiwan Relations Act.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 20, 2001
Mr. ANDREWS (for himself, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. RILEY, and Mr.
KIRK) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress relating to the
Taiwan Relations Act.
Whereas for more than 50 years a close relationship has
existed between the United States and Taiwan which has been of enormous economic,
cultural, and strategic advantage to both countries;
Whereas Taiwan has demonstrated an improved record on
human rights and a commitment to democratic ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the
press, and free and fair elections routinely held in a multiparty system, as evidenced on
March 18, 2000, by the election of Mr. Chen Shui-bian as Taiwan's new president;
Whereas April 10, 2001, will mark the 22d anniversary of
the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8), which
codified in public law the basis for continued commercial, cultural, and other relations
between the United States and Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan continues to experience a threat of missile
attack across the Taiwan Strait as demonstrated in March 1996 when missiles were launched
near its shores during military exercises by the People's Republic of China;
Whereas the defense modernization and weapons procurement
efforts by the People's Republic of China, as documented in a December 18, 2000, report by
the Secretary of Defense pursuant to Public Law 106-113 on the
security situation in the Taiwan Strait, could threaten cross-strait stability and United
States interests in the Asia-Pacific region;
Whereas it is in the interest of the United States that
Taiwan maintains adequate forces to help maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific
region;
Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act provides explicit
guarantees that the United States will make available to Taiwan defense articles and
services necessary in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a
sufficient self-defense capability;
Whereas Congress and the President are committed by
section 3(b) of the Taiwan Relations Act to determine the nature and quantity of Taiwan's
legitimate self-defense needs;
Whereas in recent discussions between the United States
and Taiwan on Taiwan's defense needs, Taiwan clearly articulated its requirement for
naval-based defense systems such as diesel submarines, P-3 surveillance aircraft, advanced
air-launched missiles, and Taiwan's coverage under the proposed Theater Missile Defense
System;
Whereas a recent Department of Defense review of Taiwan's
defense requirements concluded that in view of recent missile deployment on the Chinese
coast facing Taiwan the Aegis system should be released to Taiwan; and
Whereas in his January 17, 2001, confirmation hearing as
Secretary of State, General Colin Powell stated that `[W]e will stand by Taiwan and will
provide for the defense needs of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and
subsequent communiques': Now, therefore, be it
(1)
the United States should reaffirm its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law
96-8) and the specific guarantees for the provision of legitimate defense articles to
Taiwan contained therein;
(2)
the President should seek from the leaders of the People's Republic of China a public
renunciation of any use of force, or threat to use force, against Taiwan; and
(3)
the executive branch should recognize Taiwan's significant defense needs and therefore
approve the sale to Taiwan of advanced weapons systems that are legitimately needed for
defensive purposes, in strict accordance with section 3(b) of the Taiwan Relations Act.
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