Text: Senator Helms Statement on Taiwan Security Enhancement Act
(Helms urges U.S. support to help cope with China threat)Senator Jesse Helms opened a Congressional hearing August 4 reviewing Taiwan's self-defense capabilities by calling for the bolstering U.S. defense sales to Taiwan in light of the threat posed by the People's Republic of China (PRC). "The need to enhance our defense relationship with Taiwan is obvious," Helms stated prior to testimony concerning the proposed Taiwan Security Enhancement Act.
Helms said the 1997 reunification of Hong Kong with China, and the upcoming return of Macau slated for December 1999, has made reunification with Taiwan "an increasingly high agitation issue for Beijing." He also referred to a February 1999 Pentagon report that concluded China is engaged in a massive missile buildup opposite Taiwan, and undergoing a multifaceted military buildup which includes increased emphasis on Taiwan.
Add to this "the ugly, threatening rhetoric aimed at Taiwan by the highest levels of the Chinese government recently," Helms said, and "one can see the very real threat that Taiwan faces."
Helm was critical of past and present U.S. administrations for bending to Chinese pressure to limit or cease arms sales to Taiwan, and claimed that restrictions on joint U.S.-Taiwan military cooperation has "had a corrosive effect on Taiwan's military preparedness, at exactly the time Taiwan faces a growing military threat from China."
The Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, or bill S. 693, was introduced by Helms and Senator Torricelli in March 1999. Senator Baucus, Assistant Secretary Roth, and Deputy Assistant Secretary Campbell were among those who gave testimony at the Congressional hearing regarding this bill.
Following is the text of Helms' statement, as prepared for delivery:
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SENATOR JESSE HELMS
OPENING STATEMENT FOR HEARING ON
THE TAIWAN SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACTAUGUST 4, 1999
On behalf of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I extend our welcome to our distinguished witnesses this morning.
Senator Baucus, Assistant Secretary Roth, Deputy Assistant Secretary Campbell, our private panelists -- we are genuinely grateful for your coming to discuss the important topic of the United States' defense relationship with Taiwan.
Specifically, our purpose is to examine the bill S. 693, the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, which Senator Torricelli and I introduced back in March.
This legislation will ensure that Taiwan will have the essential self-defense capabilities. To accomplish this we propose to bolster the process for defense sales to Taiwan, and help Taiwan achieve and maintain an adequate military readiness. The need to enhance our defense relationship with Taiwan is obvious.
First, the reunification of Taiwan has become an increasingly high agitation issue for Beijing, now that they have reabsorbed Hong Kong and, as of this coming December, Macau.
Second, Beijing constantly demonstrates a willingness to use intimidation to achieve its goal. China fired missiles off Taiwan's coast in 1995 and 1996, and is now engaged in a massive missile buildup opposite Taiwan, according to the February 1999 Pentagon report to Congress. Beijing is also undergoing a multifaceted military buildup which includes increased emphasis on logistical improvements for a Taiwan scenario.
If one adds to this buildup the ugly, threatening rhetoric aimed at Taiwan by the highest levels of the Chinese government recently, one can see the very real threat that Taiwan faces.
Third, part of Beijing's strategy is to continue its pressure on the U.S. to limit or cease arm sales to Taiwan. This has had effect at various times on successive U.S. administrations. Of course, it was the Reagan administration that signed the regrettable 1982 Communique, which set a ceiling on arms sales to Taiwan and promised China that we would gradually reduce these sales.
Over the years, the United States has refused to sell Taiwan needed defense items such as submarines and AMRAAM missiles solely to assuage China.
And just two weeks ago, the Clinton administration withheld several arm sale notifications to Congress and is reported to be considering further such measures in an obvious attempt to curry favor with Beijing and punish Taiwan for President Lee's recent remarks on Taiwan's status.
Finally, our friends in Taiwan have a military capability that has operated in virtual isolation for over twenty years. Taiwan's military does not conduct joint exercises with ours and is not even able to observe many of our exercises. No U.S. officers above the rank of colonel or Navy captain can go to Taiwan and those who do are limited in the things they can say and do. This has certainly had a corrosive effect on Taiwan's military preparedness, at exactly the time Taiwan faces a growing military threat from China.
The United States' strategic interests, United States law and United States moral values dictate that we assist our long-time friends on Taiwan in meeting these challenges and that is why Senator Torricelli and I introduced this bill.
I look forward to hearing from our distinguished witnesses.
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