For Immediate Release
Washington DC – March 16, 2005
Contact: (202) 547-3686
Congress Passes Resolution Condemning Chinese Anti-Secession Law
In light of the recent passage of the Anti-Secession Law by China’s National People’s Congress, Chairman of International Relations Committee Henry Hyde and the Committee’s ranking member Tom Lantos introduced H.Con.Res.98 last night along with a handful committee members, expressing grave concerns about this provocative action by the Chinese. The resolution will be passed this afternoon with the suspension calendar.
The original co-sponsors of the resolution are: Chris Smith, Dan Burton, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Dana Rohrabacher, Steve Chabot, Darrell Issa, Jo Ann Davis, Joe Wilson and Connie Mack.
The resolution concludes that:
(1) the anti-secession law of the People’s Republic of China provides a legal justification for the use of force against Taiwan, altering the status quo in the region, and thus is of grave concern to the United States;
(2) the President of the United States should direct all appropriate officials of the United States Government to reflect the grave concern with which the United States views the passage of China’s anti- secession law in particular, and the growing Chinese military threats to Taiwan in general, to their counterpart officials in the Government of the People’s Republic of China;
(3) the Government of the United States should reaffirm its policy that the future of Taiwan should be resolved by peaceful means and with the consent of the people of Taiwan; and (4) the Government of the United States should continue to encourage dialogue between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China.
FAPA President Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D. says, “The introduction of H.Con.Res.98 followed by its passage on the House floor today was expected and due. The Chinese embassy in the U.S. has repeatedly rejected Chairman Hyde and others’ request for the text of the Anti-Secession Law. The government of China then passed the legislation dismissing continued warnings from the United States.”
Wu continues: “The passage of H.Con.Res.98 seems to serve the similar purpose as H.Res.57, a resolution passed prior to President Bush’s trip to Europe, urging the EU to maintain its arms embargo on China. H.Con.Res 98 sends a strong message to China that the United States is extremely concerned about the Anti-Secession Law because the law has seriously compromised the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and American security interests in the region. This resolution gives a strong backing for Secretary Rice during her first visit to China as Secretary of State.”
美眾議院通過第98號決議案，讉責反分裂國家法
在眾議院國際關係委員會主席海德的帶領之下，美國眾議院於昨晚提出第98號決議案，此決議案隨將於今日下午通過，抨擊中國日前所通過的反分裂國家法一事。
這個決議案並獲得其他多位國際關係委員會的成員們的聯署，他們分別為Chris Smith, Dan Burton, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Dana Rohrabacher, Steve Chabot, Darrell Issa, Jo Ann Davis, Joe Wilson, Connie Mack。
決議案表示：「中國的反分裂國家法為武力犯台提供一個合法藉口，並將改變區域現狀，因而為美國所嚴重關切。美國總統應指示美國政府相關人員向中國政府官員表達美國政府對於中國對台灣持續擴張的軍事威脅，尤其是中國通過反分裂國家法的嚴重關切。」接著，決議案表示：「美國政府應該重申其政策為台灣前途終須和平解決，並獲得台灣人民的同意。美國政府應該繼續鼓勵台灣與中國的對話。」
FAPA會長吳明基表示：「今天這個決議案的通過為意料之中的事。中國駐美大使館一再拒絕海德主席等議員的要求，不願公佈反分裂國家法的內容，最後仍然一意孤行於人大會通過這個法律。吳明基接著表示：「就好像眾議院於布希總統訪問歐洲之際通過第57號決議案，呼籲歐盟不要解除對中軍售禁運；眾議院今日在萊絲即將訪問中國之際通過第98號決議案，也是有意給萊絲一個有力的後盾，讓萊絲帶著這個政治信息到北京，表達美國政府對於中國執意通過反分裂國家法的不滿。」
H.Con.Res.98
