DEMOCRACY IN TAIWAN.

SEC. 1246. DEMOCRACY IN TAIWAN. (a) Findings.— The Congress finds that— (1) stability and peace prevail on the island of Taiwan and in the Western Pacific region; (2) economic vitality, educational advancement, and social progress have created conditions favoring the furtherance of democracy in Taiwan; (3) the people of Taiwan, in both national and local elections, have shown themselves fully capable of participating in a democratic political process; (4) the authorities on Taiwan are nurturing a transition toward more truly democratic and representative political institutions, although a minority of the seats in the central legislature and central electoral college are filled through periodic elections, with the majority of seats still being held by individuals who took office in the late 1940s; (5) on September 28, 1986, Taiwan’s democratic opposition announced the formation of the Democratic Progressive Party; (6) on October 7, 1986, President Chiang Chingkuo, announced that the Kuomintang intended to end the state of martial law and to lift the ban on the creation of new political parties; (7) the lifting of martial law in July and the release of detainees symbolize the growing respect for human rights and freedom of expression on Taiwan; (8) the Kuomintang has indicated a desire over the next few years to make more representative Taiwan’s central representative bodies, to broaden decisionmaking within the Nationalist Party, to enhance the rule of law, and to increase the powers of local-level government; and (9) our common commitment to democratic institutions and values is an increasingly strong bond between the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan and an acceleration of progress toward a full democracy on Taiwan, including full respect for human rights, will strengthen United States ties with the people on Taiwan. (b) Sense of Congress — The Congress— 101 STAT. 1427 (1) welcomes the democratic trends emerging in Taiwan and commends the progress that has been made recently in advancing democratic institutions and values; (2) welcomes the lifting of martial law and looks forward to the lifting of the ban on new political parties; (3) encourages the leaders and peoples of Taiwan to continue this process with the aim of consolidating fully democratic institutions, in particular by— (A) guaranteeing freedom of speech, expression, and assembly; and (B) gradually moving toward a fully representative government, including the free and fair election of all members of all central representative bodies; and (4) requests the American Institute in Taiwan to convey this Nation’s continuing support for a democratic and prosperous Taiwan, as stated in the Taiwan Relations Act, and our encouragement for democracy to the leaders and the people of Taiwan.