Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) grave concerns exist concerning the ballistic missile deployment by the People's Republic of China (PRC) directed toward Taiwan which threatens security and stability in the Taiwan Strait, (2) the President should seek a renunciation from the PRC of any threat or use of force against Taiwan and the region, (3) Taiwan's future should be determined peacefully by its people and free from PRC coercion, and (4) the President should move forward with the sale to Taiwan of new and upgraded F-16s.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 39 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 39
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the freedom, security, and
stability of Taiwan.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 13, 2011
Mr. Andrews (for himself and Mr. Garrett) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the freedom, security, and
stability of Taiwan.
Whereas for over half a century a close relationship has existed between the
United States and Taiwan, and the relationship has been of enormous
economic, cultural, and strategic advantage to both countries, the
region and the world;
Whereas the United States has vital security and strategic interests in the
Taiwan Strait, with United States Armed Forces stationed in countries
within the Taiwan Strait region;
Whereas the security of the 23,000,000 people in Taiwan is threatened by the
deployment by the Government of the People's Republic of China of over
1,400 short- and medium-range ballistic missiles targeted at Taiwan;
Whereas the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China passed
an anti-secession law on March 14, 2005, which was subsequently
condemned by the United States House of Representatives in House
Concurrent Resolution 98 (109th Congress), passed by the House of
Representatives on March 16, 2005;
Whereas House Concurrent Resolution 98 (109th Congress) states that the anti-
secession law seeks ``to create a legal framework for possible use of
force against Taiwan'' and that it constitutes ``a unilateral change to
the status quo in the Taiwan Strait'';
Whereas a 2009 Department of Defense report on the military power of the
Government of the People's Republic of China states that ``[t]he PLA's
modernization vis-a-vis Taiwan has continued over the past year,
including its build-up of short-range missiles opposite the island'',
and that ``[i]n the near-term, China's armed forces are rapidly
developing coercive capabilities for the purpose of deterring Taiwan's
pursuit of de jure independence'';
Whereas the report also states that ``[t]hese same capabilities could in the
future be used to pressure Taiwan toward a settlement of the cross-
Strait dispute on Beijing's terms while simultaneously attempting to
deter, delay, or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case
of conflict'';
Whereas the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair, in the 2009
Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Select
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, stated that ``[p]reparations
for a possible Taiwan conflict continue to drive the modernization goals
of the People's Liberation Army and the Chinese defense-industrial
complex'';
Whereas on January 21, 2010, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) completed a
report on the current condition of the air force of the Government of
Taiwan and concludes that, ``although Taiwan has nearly 400 combat
aircraft in service, far fewer of these are operationally capable'';
Whereas on August 16, 2010, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a report
titled ``Military and Security Developments involving the People's
Republic of China'', in which it noted that in spite of the ongoing
rapprochement, the PRC is continuing its military buildup and missile
deployment aimed at Taiwan, leading to a further deterioration of the
military balance across the Taiwan Strait;
Whereas section 2(b)(4) of the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3301(b)(4)),
which is the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations, declares
that it is the policy of the United States ``to consider any effort to
determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including
by boycotts or embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of the
Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States''; and
Whereas section 2(b)(6) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 3301(b)(6)) declares it the
policy of the United States ``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 on Taiwan'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That it is the sense of Congress that--
(1) grave concerns exist concerning the continued
deployment by the Government of the People's Republic of China
of over 1,400 ballistic missiles directed toward Taiwan, which
threaten security and stability in the Taiwan Strait;
(2) the President should seek a public and unequivocal
renunciation from the leaders of the People's Republic of China
of any threat or use of force against Taiwan and the region;
(3) the future of Taiwan should be determined peacefully by
the people of Taiwan and free from coercion by the Government
of the People's Republic of China; and
(4) the President should take immediate steps to redress
the deteriorating balance of airpower noted by the 2010 DOD's
annual report on China's military power, and move forward
expeditiously with the sale to Taiwan of new F-16 C/D aircraft
and upgrades of the existing F-16 A/B fleet.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
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