| HCON 292 EH
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 292
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Congratulating the people of Taiwan for the
successful conclusion of presidential elections on March 18, 2000, and reaffirming United
States policy toward Taiwan and the People's Republic of China.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas section 2(c) of the Taiwan Relations Act
(Public Law 96-8) states `[t]he preservation and enhancement of the human rights of all
the people on Taiwan' to be an objective of the United States;
Whereas Taiwan has become a multiparty democracy
in which all citizens have the right to participate freely in the political process;
Whereas the people of Taiwan have, by their
vigorous participation in electoral campaigns and public debate, strengthened the
foundations of a free and democratic way of life;
Whereas Taiwan successfully conducted a
presidential election on March 18, 2000;
Whereas President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan has
actively supported the consolidation of democratic institutions and processes in Taiwan
since 1988 when he became President;
Whereas this election represents the first such
transition of national office from one elected leader to another in the history of Chinese
societies;
Whereas the continued democratic development of
Taiwan is a matter of fundamental importance to the advancement of United States interests
in East Asia and is supported by the United States Congress and the American people;
Whereas a stable and peaceful security
environment in East Asia is essential to the furtherance of democratic developments in
Taiwan and other countries, as well as to the protection of human rights throughout the
region;
Whereas since 1972 United States policy toward
the People's Republic of China has been predicated upon, as stated in section 2(b)(3) of
the Taiwan Relations Act, `the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by
peaceful means';
Whereas section 2(b)(6) of the Taiwan Relations
Act further pledges `to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to
force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or
economic system, of the people of Taiwan';
Whereas on June 9, 1998, the House of
Representatives voted unanimously to adopt House Concurrent Resolution 270 that called
upon the President of the United States to seek `a public renunciation by the People's
Republic of China of any use of force, or threat to use force, against democratic Taiwan';
Whereas the People's Republic of China has
consistently refused to renounce the use of force against Taiwan;
Whereas the State Council, an official organ at
the highest level of the Government of the People's Republic of China, issued a `white
paper' on February 21, 2000, which threatened `to adopt all drastic measures possible,
including the use of force,' if Taiwan indefinitely delays entering into negotiations with
the People's Republic of China on the issue of reunification; and
Whereas the February 21, 2000, statement by the
State Council significantly escalates tensions across the Taiwan Straits and sets forth a
new condition that has not heretofore been stated regarding the conditions that would
prompt the People's Republic of China to use force against Taiwan: Now, therefore, be it
(1) the people of Taiwan are to be congratulated
for the successful conclusion of presidential elections on March 18, 2000, and for their
continuing efforts in developing and sustaining a free, democratic society which respects
human rights and embraces free markets;
(4) it is the sense of the Congress that the
People's Republic of China should refrain from making provocative threats against Taiwan
and should instead undertake steps that would lead to a substantive dialogue, including a
renunciation of the use of force against Taiwan and progress toward democracy, the rule of
law, and protection of human and religious rights in the People's Republic of China; and
Passed the House of Representatives March 28,
2000.
Attest:
Clerk.
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