For Immediate Release
Washington DC – July 13, 2012
Contact: (202) 547-3686
U.S. Representatives Commemorate Anniversaries Of Six Assurances And End Of Martial Law
On July 13, 2012, members of the U.S. House of Representatives inserted Extensions of Remarks into the Congressional Record calling upon their colleagues in Congress to join them in commemorating the 30th anniversary of President Reagan’s “Six Assurances” and the 25th anniversary of the lifting of martial law in Taiwan.
Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Shelley Berkley (D-NV) issued statements commemorating these two critical junctures on Taiwan’s road to democracy.
On July 14, 1982, as the U.S. was on the verge of concluding a third Joint Communique with the People’s Republic of China, President Reagan issued the “Six Assurances” to Taiwan’s government to reaffirm U.S. policy toward Taiwan at the time, particularly with regard to the sale of arms to Taiwan, American commitment to Taiwan’s security under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, and the existing U.S. position on Taiwan’s sovereignty. The Assurances also stipulated that the U.S. would not pressure Taiwan to enter into negotiations with the PRC.
On the same date five years later, President Chiang Ching-kuo lifted martial law in Taiwan on July 14, 1987. Martial law had been promulgated in Taiwan on May 19, 1949 by Chiang Kai-shek’s Chinese Nationalist government; by the time it was terminated 38 years later it was the longest period of rule by martial law by any regime in the world. Even after the end of martial law, tight restrictions on the freedom of assembly, speech and the press remained in place in Taiwan however.
Mark Kao, PhD., President of FAPA states: “The coincidence in dates of these two critical junctures in Taiwan’s history, five years apart, highlights the indispensable role that the United States and the Taiwan Relations Act each played in Taiwan’s democratization. Taiwanese Americans are grateful to the U.S. for continuing to safeguard Taiwan’s security.”
Dr. Kao continues: “The recognition of the “Six Assurances” as the second cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan relations, alongside the TRA, is essential to the integrity of the American policy that has allowed Taiwan to become the free and vibrant society today. Beijing does not believe in the legitimacy of either document, because they fly in the face of its aspirations to annex Taiwan by force. For this reason alone, the Taiwanese American community applauds the U.S.’s enduring adherence and commitment to both pillars of the bilateral relationship.”
美眾議員紀念「六項保證」三十週年及解除戒嚴二十五週年
多位美國眾議員於七月十三日發表延伸發言並正式納入國會紀錄中。該發言呼籲在國會的同僚與他們一同紀念雷根總統提出「六項保證」的三十週年，以及台灣解除戒嚴的二十五週年。
德州共和黨眾議員麥考（Michael McCaul）議員及內華達州民主黨眾議員柏克萊（Shelley Berkley）議員共同發表聲明，紀念這兩個台灣邁向民主之路的重要階段。
一 九八二年七月十四日，當美國即將與中國簽署第三個中美聯合公報時，雷根總統宣佈對台灣政府的《六項保證》，重新確立美國當時的對台政策，特別是關於對台軍 售、《台灣關係法》中美國對台灣安全的保護，以及美國對台灣主權的立場。《六項保證》中並聲明美國不會施壓台灣與中國展開談判。
五年後，蔣經國總統宣佈於一九八七年七月十四日解除戒嚴。蔣介石的國民政府於一九四九年五月十九日宣布台灣實施戒嚴；軍事戒嚴一共持續了三十八年，也締造了全世界所有政權歷史中戒嚴時期最久的紀錄。然而，解嚴後，台灣的集會、言論以及媒體自由仍然受到嚴格的限制。
台灣人公共事務會會長高龍榮博士表示：「這兩個相隔五年，卻巧合的在同一天發生的重要事件，突顯出美國和其《台灣關係法》在台灣的民主化過程中，扮演了不可或缺的角色。台美人對於美國持續的捍衛台灣的安全抱持感激之心。」
高博士並表示：「美國承認《六項保證》為《台灣關係法》之外的第二個台美關係基石，對其協助台灣成為自由社會和對台政策是至關重要的。這兩份文件公開反對中 國以武力併吞台灣的野心，因此北京不願承認任何一份文件的正當性。單就這個原因，台美人就要讚賞美國持續地堅守及保障這兩份台美雙方關係的棟樑。」
Extensions of Remarks
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Rep. Michael McCaul
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate two important anniversaries that are coming up this July 14th in relation to our close friend and ally: the country of Taiwan .
Since the end of World War II, the United States and Taiwan have fostered a close relationship that has been of enormous strategic and economic benefit to both countries. When the United States shifted diplomatic relations from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China in January 1979, Congress moved quickly to pass the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) to ensure that the United States would continue its robust engagement with Taiwan in the areas of commerce, culture, and security cooperation. On April 10, 1979, this important and lasting piece of legislation became the “Law of the Land” and has since served as the statutory basis for U.S.-Taiwan relations going forward.
After 33 years, the TRA still stands as a model of Congressional leadership in the history of our foreign relations, and, together with the 1982 “Six Assurances ,” it remains the cornerstone of a very mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and Taiwan .
These “Six Assurances” were designed by President Reagan to further clarify U.S. policy toward Taiwan (in particular to the sale of arms to Taiwan ,) to reiterate our commitment to Taiwan’s security under the TRA and to reaffirm our position on Taiwan’s sovereignty. It also stipulated that we would not pressure Taiwan to enter into negotiations with the PRC.
This coming July 14 marks the 30th anniversary of President Reagan issuing said Six Assurances in 1982. It also marks the 25th anniversary of the lifting of martial law in Taiwan in 1987.
Martial law was promulgated in Taiwan on May 19, 1949 by Chiang Kai-shek’s Chinese Nationalist government. Its end 38 years later marked the longest imposition of martial law by a regime anywhere in the world. Even after the end of martial law, tight restrictions on the people of Taiwan’s freedom of assembly, speech and the press remained in place. Nevertheless, July 14, 1987 set the stage for a momentous process of democratization in Taiwan that continues to this day.
Over the past three decades, Taiwan has remained a trusted ally of the United States that shares with us the ideals of freedom and democracy. However, the people of Taiwan continue to live day after day under the ominous shadow cast by over 1400 short and medium-range ballistic missiles that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has aimed at them. The PRC persists in claiming Taiwan as a “renegade province,” refusing to renounce the use of force to prevent Taiwan’s formal de jure independence.
Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in commemorating this July 14 the 30th anniversary of the Six Assurances and the 25th anniversary of the lifting of martial law in Taiwan, to further underline our unwavering commitment to the people of Taiwan and to affirm our support for the strong and deepening relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan.
Rep. Shelley Berkley
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate two important anniversaries that are coming up this July 14th in relation to our close friends in the Taiwan.
Since the end of World War Two, the United States and Taiwan have fostered a close relationship that has been of enormous strategic and economic benefit to both countries. When the United States shifted diplomatic relations from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in January 1979, Congress moved quickly to pass the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) to ensure that the United States would continue its robust engagement with Taiwan in the areas of commerce, culture, and security cooperation. On April 10, 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed this important and lasting piece of legislation into law and it has since served as the statutory basis for U.S.-Taiwan relations going forward.
After 33 years, the TRA still stands as a model of Congressional leadership in the history of our foreign relations, and, together with the 1982 “Six Assurances,” it remains the cornerstone of a mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and Taiwan. These “Six Assurances” – issued by President Ronald Reagan on July 14, 1982 – further clarified U.S. policy toward Taiwan, particularly regarding arms sales, while reiterating our commitment to Taiwan’s security under the TRA and reaffirming our position on Taiwan’s sovereignty. It also stipulated that we would not pressure Taiwan to enter into negotiations with the PRC.
On that same day five years later, martial law was lifted in Taiwan, setting the stage for a momentous process of democratization in Taiwan that continues to this day. Taiwan now has a robust, boisterous parliament, and has seen several peaceful transitions of presidential power between parties, based on repeated free and fair elections. They have truly joined the world’s community of democracies, which has only strengthened the friendship between our two peoples.
Unfortunately, though, Taiwan continues to live day after day under the ominous shadow cast by over 1400 short and medium-range ballistic missiles that the PRC has aimed at them. The PRC persists in claiming Taiwan as a “”renegade province,”” refusing to renounce the use of force to prevent Taiwan’s formal de jure independence.
Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in commemorating this July 14 the 30th anniversary of the Six Assurances and the 25th anniversary of the lifting of martial law in Taiwan, to further underline our unwavering commitment to the people of Taiwan and to affirm our support for the strong and deepening relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan.
