David Thomas: “I wish to indicate how disappointed I was last evening that we were unable to take up the resolution on Taiwan and the…”

“I wish to indicate how disappointed I was last evening that we were unable to take up the resolution on Taiwan and the Taiwan Straits. We had prepared a sense-of-the-Congress resolution early in the week, had distributed it and talked to many. It was agreed to by the administration. It was also sponsored by the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and the ranking member. In any event, the upshot was that its introduction was objected to on the minority side, I think largely by the staff, and therefore we did not do it. We do intend, however, to come back and do that next week. Mr. President, as all of my colleagues know, over the last 8 months the People's Republic of China has held an increasing number of missile tests and military exercises. Last year, starting in July, there were 21 to 26 missile tests; in July and August, troop movements in provinces bordering Taiwan. The purpose of these tests has obviously been to intimidate the Taiwanese. They have been accompanied by denunciations of President Li. They have been timed to coincide, of course, with the election that takes place there. Now, unfortunately, the People's Republic of China has escalated the situation with these new tests, tests that are the closest ever to the main island and purposely, of course, timed to affect the election which will take place later this month. They have also been close to Taiwan's two ports, and that has been very worrisome.…”