; Whereas Taiwan has transitioned into a fully functioning democracy since 1996, when the island held its first direct Presidential election; Whereas the PRC’s persistent and increasing au­thor­i­tar­i­an­ism and Taiwan’s consolidation of its democracy place the PRC and Taiwan on divergent paths and make unification less likely; Whereas the Chinese Communist Party is responsible for this state of affairs as it has prevented the people of mainland China from developing a representative democracy while the Government of Taiwan has allowed the people of Taiwan to develop a flourishing democracy; Whereas an overwhelming majority of the people of Taiwan favor the status quo in the Taiwan Strait in which Taiwan is not part of the PRC; Whereas the United States One-China Policy is based on full implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act and on joint communiqués negotiated with the PRC in 1972, 1978, and 1982, with a focus on peaceful resolution of Taiwan’s status; Whereas, consequently, the United States One-China Policy is not the PRC’s One-China Principle; Whereas in the Three Joint Communiqués, the United States only acknowledged, without endorsing, the PRC’s claim that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China; Whereas, on April 10, 1979, the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8 ) was enacted into law; Whereas pursuant to the Taiwan Relations Act, “It is the policy of the United States— “(1) to preserve and promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan, as well as the people on the China mainland and all other peoples of the Western Pacific area; “(2) to declare 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