U.S. Dept. of State - IIP: The United States and China

Text: Resolution Calls For Peaceful Settlement of Taiwan Issue
(H. Con. Res. 221 introduced by Rep. Wexler)

The future of Taiwan should be settled peacefully, and democratically, with the express consent of the Taiwanese people, according to a proposed resolution introduced into the House of Representatives September 6.

Representative Robert Wexler (Democrat of Florida) submitted House Concurrent Resolution 221 (H. Con. Res. 221) to the House of Representatives, where it was referred to the House International Relations Committee. Wexler is a member of that committee.

Wexler, citing the April 2001 statement of President George Bush that the United States would help Taiwan defend itself from a Chinese attack, had in his proposed resolution a "sense of Congress" that U.S. policy should be that the future of Taiwan "be resolved peacefully, through a democratic mechanism such as a plebiscite and with the express consent of the people of Taiwan."

H. Con. Res. 221 would also declare that it is U.S. policy that "Taiwan's future should be decided by the people of Taiwan without outside threats, intimidation, or interference."

Following is the text of House Concurrent Resolution 221 from the Congressional Record:

HCON 221 IH
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 221
Expressing the sense of the Congress that it is the policy of the United States that the future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through a democratic mechanism with the express consent of the people of Taiwan and free from outside threats, intimidation, or interference.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 6, 2001

Mr. WEXLER (for himself, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. STUMP, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. WYNN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. WU, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, and Mr. DEUTSCH) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

Expressing the sense of the Congress that it is the policy of the United States that the future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through a democratic mechanism with the express consent of the people of Taiwan and free from outside threats, intimidation, or interference.

Whereas September 8, 2001, marks the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco Peace Treaty;

Whereas in the San Francisco Peace Treaty, Japan renounced all right, title, and claim to Taiwan;

Whereas the signatories of the San Francisco Peace Treaty left the status of Taiwan undetermined;

Whereas the universally accepted principal of self-determination is enshrined in article 1 of the United Nations Charter;

Whereas the United States recognizes and supports that a right to self-determination exists as a fundamental right of all peoples, as set forth in numerous United Nations instruments;

Whereas the people of Taiwan are committed to the principles of freedom, justice, and democracy as evidenced by the March 18, 2000, election of Mr. Chen Shui-bian as Taiwan's President;

Whereas the 1993 Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States defines the qualifications of a nation-state as a defined territory, a permanent population, and a government capable of entering into relations with other states;

Whereas on February 24, 2000, and March 8, 2000, former President Clinton stated: `We will continue to make absolutely clear that the issues between Beijing and Taiwan must be resolved peacefully and with the assent of the people of Taiwan';

Whereas both the 2000 Republican party platform and the Democratic party platform emphasized and made clear the belief that the future of Taiwan should be determined with the consent of the people of Taiwan;

Whereas on February 1, 2000, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 1838, the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, in which section 2(4) states `[a]ny determination of the ultimate status of Taiwan must have the express consent of the people on Taiwan';

Whereas Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on March 16, 2001, that `[w]hat has changed is that any eventual agreement that is arrived at has to be acceptable to the majority of the people on Taiwan'; and

Whereas in April 2001 President George W. Bush stated that the United States will help Taiwan defend itself if attacked by China: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--

(1) it is the policy of the United States that the future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully, through a democratic mechanism such as a plebiscite and with the express consent of the people of Taiwan; and

(2) it is the policy of the United States that Taiwan's future should be decided by the people of Taiwan without outside threats, intimidation, or interference.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)