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[Page: S13655]

Mr. LIEBERMAN submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

S. Con. Res. 136

Whereas the governments in both Beijing (China) and Taipei (Taiwan) claim that they represent all of China, including Taiwan;

Whereas Taiwan was a Japanese colony during the period between 1895 and 1945;

Whereas at the end of World War II, the United States military temporarily allowed the Chinese Nationalist President, Chiang Kai-shek, to rule Taiwan;

Whereas the period of civil war which took place on mainland China between 1945 and 1949 ended when the Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang) Government was overthrown by the Communistic regime (People's Republic of China) that remains in control today;

Whereas subsequent to this overthrow, the Communists forced the Nationalists off the mainland, and they fled to Taiwan;

Whereas ever since 1949, Taiwan has been a politically and economically independent entity completely separated from the People's Republic of China;

Whereas until 1971, appointees of the Chinese Nationalist Government, based in Taipei, represented Taiwan and mainland China in the United Nations; however, during that year, the Government of the People's Republic of China, based in Beijing, assumed the role of representing both mainland China and Taiwan;

Whereas on December 15, 1978, the United States and the People's Republic of China released a joint communique that announced a switch in United States diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing;

Whereas that joint communique also stated that the `United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan';

Whereas on December 15, 1978, in a unilateral statement released concurrently with that joint communique, the United States stated that it `continues to have an interest in the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue and expects that the Taiwan issue will be settled peacefully by the Chinese themselves';

Whereas on April 10, 1979, President Carter signed into law the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8) which created a domestic legal authority for the conduct of unofficial relations with Taiwan;

Whereas since January 1, 1979, the United States, in accord with the Taiwan Relations Act, has continued the sale of selected defensive military equipment and defense technology to Taiwan;

Whereas Taiwan, with a population of 20,000,000, has in the past 40 years become an independent political entity and an important partner in world trade and the international economy (Taiwan has the world's largest foreign currency reserve, is the 5th largest trading partner of the United States, and is the 13th largest trading nation in the world);

Whereas in spite of its economic achievement and significant role in the world economy and in world affairs, the government of Taiwan does not have representation in the United Nations and other international organizations;

Whereas the people of Taiwan have, through their elected legislators, expressed a strong desire to join the United Nations and other international organizations; and

Whereas Taiwan's membership in the United Nations and other international organizations would further enhance the peace, security, and stability in the Pacific and is in the best interest of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the 20,000,000 people of Taiwan deserve to be represented in the United Nations and other international organizations by appointees representing Taiwan's government.

[Page: S13656]

• [Begin insert]

Such a move would confirm what has become a reality over the past 40 years. During that time, Taiwan has become one of the leading economic models in Asia. It has the world's largest foreign currency reserve, is the 5th largest trading partner of the United States, and is the 13th largest trading nation in the world.

Taiwan has also undertaken a different political route than China. While Taiwan is still far from being a perfect democracy, it has made significant progress in developing democratic representative institutions, including a free press. In contrast, China still has thousands of political prisoners.

By granting U.N. membership, we will be sending a clear message that Taiwan is a full-fledged member of the world community, whose independence cannot be jeopardized by mainland China. China still sometimes makes threatening statements about the use of force against Taiwan. U.N. membership would convey to China that Taiwan's status is not an internal matter, but a vital international issue.

Mr. President, Taiwan is a separate and independent nation. It is time that we recognize this by seeking full-fledged membership for this country in the United Nations.

• [End insert]

END