Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 101 Part 3.djvu/128

 101 STAT. 1426 Religion.

PUBLIC LAW 100-204—DEC. 22, 1987

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(3) the exercise of religious activities has a detrimental effect on a participant's civil, social, and economic status within the People's Republic of China; (4) the freedom of movement and the freedom to form independent trade unions and other voluntary associations are severely curtailed; (5) there have been some encouraging developments including an effort by the current leadership of the People's Republic of China to develop economic policies without regard to a rigid application of Maoist ideology; and .r (6) the American people desire to extend their moral support to the struggle for freedom and justice within the People's Republic of China, (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Congress that the leadership of the People's Republic of China should take necessary steps toward establishing a more democratic society, with a free and open political system that will protect the essential human rights of all people living within that country. SEC. 1246. DEMOCRACY IN TAIWAN.

Chiang Chingkuo. Human rights.

Human rights.

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(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, •i 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 Ching-kuo, 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 C o n g r e s s -

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