(1) In March of 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 historic, free, and democratic presidential elections.
(2) The People's Republic of China refuses to renounce the
use of force against Taiwan.
(3) The House of Representatives passed a resolution by a
vote of 411-0 in June 1998 urging the President to seek, during his July 1998 summit
meeting in Beijing, a public renunciation by the People's Republic of China of any use of
force, or threat of use of force, against democratic Taiwan.
(4) Senior United States executive branch officials have
called upon the People's Republic of China to renounce the use of force against Taiwan.
(5) The use of force, and the threat to use force, by the
People's Republic of China against Taiwan threatens peace and stability in the region.
(6) The Taiwan Relations Act, enacted in 1979, states that
"[i]t 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".
(7) The Taiwan Relations Act states that it is the policy
of the United States to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character.
