Text: House Introduces Resolution Supporting Taiwan Relations Act
(U.S. should approve sale of defensive weapons systems)Lawmakers introduced a resolution March 20 that calls on the United States to reaffirm its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act, approve the sale to Taiwan of advanced weapons systems "legitimately needed for defensive purposes," and seek from Beijing a public renunciation of the use of force to resolve the Taiwan issue.
Representative Robert Andrews (Democrat of New Jersey) introduced House Concurrent Resolution 67 (H. Con. Res. 67) March 20. The resolution, which has three co-sponsors, was referred to the House International Relations Committee.
The resolution calls on the United States not only to reaffirm its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act, but also to "the specific guarantees for the provision of legitimate defense articles to Taiwan contained therein."
President Bush, the resolution adds, "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."
The authors of the resolution also urge the United States to "recognize Taiwan's significant defense needs and therefore approve the sale to Taiwan of advanced weapons systems that are legitimately needed for defensive purposes."
Those weapon systems are needed because of Beijing's weapons modernization and procurement efforts, which could "threaten cross-strait stability and United States interests in the Asia-Pacific region," according to the resolution.
The Taiwan Relations Act, the lawmakers say in the resolution, 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."
Following is the text of House Concurrent Resolution 67 from the March 20 Congressional Record:
(begin text)
Expressing the sense of the Congress
relating to the Taiwan Relations Act
(Introduced in the House)HCON 67 IH
107th CONGRESS
1st SessionH. 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
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(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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