Senate Concurrent Resolution 107

July 7, 1998

S. Con. Res. 107, a resolution affirming U.S. commitments to Taiwan, was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Senator Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.) and a bipartisan group of 22 other Senators on July 7, 1998. The resolution was approved by a vote of 92-0 on July 10. Following is the text of the resolution:

Whereas at no time since the establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, has Taiwan been under the control of the People's Republic of China;

Whereas the United States began its long, peaceful, friendly relationship with Taiwan in 1949;

Whereas since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, the policy of the United States has been based on the expectation that the future relationship between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan would be determined by peaceful means;

Whereas in March 1996, the People's Republic of China held provocative military maneuvers, including missile launch exercises in the Taiwan Strait, in an attempt to intimidate the

people of Taiwan during their historic, free and democratic presidential election;

Whereas officials of the People's Republic of China refuse to renounce the use of force against democratic Taiwan;

Whereas Taiwan has achieved significant political and economic strength as one of the world's premier democracies and as the 19th largest economy in the world;

Whereas Taiwan is the seventh-largest trading partner of the United States and imports more than twice as much annually from the United States as does the People's Republic of China;

Whereas no treaties exist between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan that determine the future status of Taiwan:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That Congress --

(1) affirms its long standing commitment to Taiwan and the people of Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8);

(2) affirms its expectation, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means, and considers any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific and of grave concern to the United States;

(3) affirms its commitment, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantities as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability;

(4) affirms its commitment, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, that only the President and Congress shall determine the nature and quantity of defense articles and services for Taiwan based solely upon their judgment of theneeds of Taiwan; and