| HCON 272 IH 106th
CONGRESS
2d
Session
H.
CON. RES. 272
Commending the people of Taiwan for reaffirming, in their
upcoming presidential elections, their dedication to democratic ideals, and for other
purposes.
IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 9, 2000
Mr. DEUTSCH (for
himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. BAKER, Mr. BERMAN, Mrs. BONO, Mr. BROWN of Ohio,
Mr. CANNON, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. FORBES, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr.
HINCHEY, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. KING, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr.
MARTINEZ, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. ROGAN, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. SCHAFFER, Mr.
STARK, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. WEXLER, and Mr. WYNN) submitted the following concurrent
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Commending the
people of Taiwan for reaffirming, in their upcoming presidential elections, their
dedication to democratic ideals, and for other purposes.
Whereas in recent
years, Taiwan has undergone a major political transformation and Taiwan is today a true
multiparty democracy with a political system separate from and totally unlike that of the
People's Republic of China;
Whereas the
Government of Taiwan no longer claims to be the Government of China;
Whereas since
1979, the United States Government has insisted that the ultimate status of Taiwan must
have the express consent of the people of Taiwan and must be decided by peaceful means;
Whereas United
States interests are served by supporting democracy around the world;
Whereas the
centerpiece of Taiwan's democracy is its system of competitive and free elections;
Whereas Taiwan is
a democracy with its second direct presidential elections scheduled for March 18, 2000;
Whereas this
election will only be the latest example of Taiwan's commitment to the democratic ideals
of freedom and pluralism, values that it shares with the United States;
Whereas in March
1996, the political leadership of the People's Republic of China used provocative military
maneuvers, including missile launch exercises in the Taiwan Strait, in an attempt to
intimidate the people of Taiwan during their first-ever free and democratic presidential
elections;
Whereas peace and
stability in the Taiwan Strait area are in the political, security, and economic interests
of the United States and are of international concern as specified in the Taiwan Relations
Act (22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), signed into law in 1979; and
Whereas the
People's Republic of China has threatened to use force against Taiwan at various times, as
most recently manifested in the Chinese Policy Paper of February 21, 2000, and continues
to refuse to renounce the use of force against Taiwan: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by
the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--
(1) the
Congress commends the people of Taiwan for--
(A) having
established a democracy on Taiwan over the past decades and for repeatedly reaffirming
their dedication to democratic ideals; and
(B) carrying
out the second free, fair and democratic direct presidential election in Taiwan's history
in March 2000; and
(2) that it is
the sense of the Congress that--
(A) it is the
right of the people of Taiwan to freely elect their President without any interference
from the People's Republic of China;
(B) the
ultimate status of Taiwan must have the express consent of the people of Taiwan and must
be decided by peaceful means; and
(3) the United
States looks forward to working with the next democratically elected President of Taiwan.
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