HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.67
(By Delegates Mr. Speaker, Kiss and Delegates Amores, Barker,
Beane, Brown, Browning, Campbell, Craig, Crosier, Doyle,
Eldridge, Hatfeild, Hrutkay, Hunt, Iaquinta, Leach, Mahan,
Michael, Poling, Spencer, Stalnaker, Staton, Stephens, Susman
Tabb, Talbott and Ron Thompson)
Expressing the grave concern of the Legislature of the State of
West Virginia regarding the recent passage of the anti-
secession law by the National People's Congress of the
People's Republic of China.
Whereas, on December 9, 2003, President George W. Bush stated
it is policy of the United States to "oppose any unilateral
decision, by either China or Taiwan, to change the status quo"; and
Whereas, in the past few years, the Government of the United
States has urged both Taiwan and the People's Republic of China to
maintain restraint; and
Whereas, the National People's Congress of the People's
Republic of China passed its anti-secession law on March 14, 2005,
which constitutes a unilateral change to the status quo in the
Taiwan Strait; and
Whereas, the passage of China's anti-secession law escalates
tensions between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China and is an impediment to cross-strait dialogue; and
Whereas, the purpose of China's anti-secession law is to
create a legal framework for possible use of force against Taiwan
and mandates Chinese military action under certain circumstances,
including when "possibilities for a peaceful reunification should
be completely exhausted"; and
Whereas, the Department of Defense's Report on the Military
Power of the People's Republic of China for Fiscal Year 2004
documents that, as of 2003, the Government of the People's Republic
of China had deployed approximately 500 short-range ballistic
missiles against Taiwan; and
Whereas, the escalating arms buildup of missiles and other
offensive weapons by the People's Republic of China in areas
adjacent to the Taiwan Strait is a threat to the peace and security
of the Western Pacific area; and
Whereas, given the recent positive developments in cross-
strait relations, including the Lunar New Year charter flights and
new proposals for cross-strait exchanges, it is particularly
unfortunate that the National People's Congress adopted this
legislation; and
Whereas, since its enactment in 1979, the Taiwan Relations Act
(22 U.S.C. 3301, et seq.), which codified in law the basis for
continued commercial, cultural, and other relations between the
people of the United States and the people of Taiwan, has been
instrumental in maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Taiwan Strait; and
Whereas, section 2(b)(2) of the Taiwan Relations Act declares
that "peace and stability in the area are in the political,
security, and economic interests of the United States, and are
matters of international concern"; and
Whereas, at the time the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted into
law, section 2(b)(3) of such Act made clear that the United States
decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People's
Republic of China rested upon the expectation that the future of
Taiwan would be determined by peaceful means; and
Whereas, section 2(b)(4) of the Taiwan Relations Act declares
it 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"; and
Whereas, section 2(b)(6) of the Taiwan Relations Act declares
it the policy of the United States "to maintain the capacity of the
United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of
coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or
economic system, of the people on Taiwan"; and
Whereas, any attempt to determine Taiwan's future by other
than peaceful means and other than with the express consent of the
people of Taiwan would be considered of grave concern to the United
States; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby recognizes that the anti-secession
law of the People's Republic of China could provide 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 and citizens of the State of West Virginia; and, be
it
Further Resolved, That the President of the United States
should direct all appropriate officials of the United States
Government to reflect the grave concern with which the Legislature
of the State of West Virginia 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; and, be it
Further Resolved, That 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, be it
Further Resolved, That the Government of the United States
should continue to encourage dialogue between Taiwan and the
People's Republic of China.
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