[Page: S1237]
Mr. SIMON (for himself and Mr. Brown) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Con. Res. 3
Whereas, China has been a divided nation since 1949, and the governments of the Republic of China on Taiwan (hereinafter cited as `Taiwan') and the People's Republic of China on Mainland China (hereinafter cited as `Mainland China') have exercised exclusive jurisdiction over separate parts of China;
Whereas, Taiwan has the 19th largest gross national product in the world, a strong and vibrant economy, and one of the largest foreign exchange reserves of any nation;
Whereas, Taiwan has dramatically improved its record on human rights and routinely holds free and fair elections in a multiparty system, as evidenced most recently by the December 3, 1994 balloting for local and provincial officials;
Whereas, the 21 million people on Taiwan are not represented in the United Nations and their human rights as citizens of the world are therefore severely abridged;
Whereas, Taiwan has in recent years repeatedly expressed its strong desire to participate in the United Nations;
Whereas, Taiwan has much to contribute to the work and funding of the United Nations;
Whereas, Taiwan has demonstrated its commitment to the world community by responding to international disasters and crises such as environmental destruction in the Persian Gulf and famine in Rwanda by providing financial donations, medical assistance, and other forms of aid;
Whereas, the world community has reacted positively to Taiwan's desire for international participation, as shown by Taiwan's continued membership in the Asian Development Bank, the admission of Taiwan into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group as a full member, and the accession of Taiwan as an observer at the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade as the first step toward becoming a contracting party to that organization;
Whereas, The United States has supported Taiwan's participation in these bodies and indicated, in its policy review of September 1994, a stronger and more active policy of support for Taiwan's participation in other international organizations;
Whereas, Taiwan has repeatedly stated that its participation in international organizations is that of a divided nation, with no intention to challenge the current international status of Mainland China;
Whereas, the United Nations and other international organizations have established precedents concerning the admission of separate parts of divided nations, such as Korea and Germany; and
Whereas, Taiwan's participation in international organizations would not prevent or imperil a future voluntary union between Taiwan and Mainland China any more than the recognition of separate governments in the former West Germany and the former East Germany prevented the voluntary reunification of Germany;
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) Taiwan deserves full participation, including a seat, in the United Nations; and
(2) the government of the United States should immediately encourage the United Nations to establish an ad hoc committee for the purpose of studying membership for Taiwan in that organization and its related agencies.
[Page: S1238]
Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, there are more than 180 countries in the United Nations. They range from the world's largest countries in area, in population, in economic output, down to some very small countries indeed, countries that are smaller than some counties in my own State of Illinois. I have nothing against those small countries being members of the United Nations. On the contrary, I feel that any country capable of making a real contribution to the activities of the United Nations should have the opportunity to do so as a full member of that organization.
For that reason, it is all the more unfortunate that a country of 21 million people, a country that has made great strides in consolidating democratic institutions and practices, a country that has become a significant economic power and a major contributor to international assistance efforts--that such a country should find itself closed out of the United Nations.
I am speaking, of course, of Taiwan.
Together with my cosponsor, Senator Brown, I am pleased to submit today a Senate Concurrent Resolution that reaffirms, as the sense of the Senate, what many of us in this Chamber have already concluded: That Taiwan deserves to participate fully in the United Nations as a full member, and that the U.S. Government should encourage the United Nations to begin studying means to bring this about. Congressman Solomon introduced an identical resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 8, earlier this month.
I would especially like to call my colleagues' attention to a particular element of this resolution: namely, that in seeking membership in the United Nations and other international institutions, Taipei does not intend to challenge the current international status of Beijing. Rather, Taiwan would seek admission as part of a divided nation. There are precedents for this; this has worked before. East and West Germany were admitted to the United Nations as separate parts of a divided nation; North and South Korea were admitted to the United Nations as separate parts of a divided nation.
I am pleased that, last June, the Senate agreed to by voice vote a similar resolution expressing the sense that Taiwan should be brought into the United Nations. There have been some changes in the political makeup of the Congress since then. I think that is all the more reason, then, that the Senate should go on record and affirm something that has not changed: Our support for Taiwan's integration into international institutions. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
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