[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 523 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 523
Expressing the opposition of the Senate to the Chinese Communist
Party's ``stolen valor'' historical revisionism with regard to Allied
Victory in Asia, commemorating the contributions made by the Republic
of China to Allied Victory, and acknowledging the postwar contributions
of the Government of Japan to peace and stability in Asia.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 2, 2025
Mr. Sullivan submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the opposition of the Senate to the Chinese Communist
Party's ``stolen valor'' historical revisionism with regard to Allied
Victory in Asia, commemorating the contributions made by the Republic
of China to Allied Victory, and acknowledging the postwar contributions
of the Government of Japan to peace and stability in Asia.
Whereas, on September 3, 2025, the Chinese Communist Party held an exercise in
orchestrated propaganda in Beijing ostensibly commemorating the 80th
anniversary of the end of what it called the ``Chinese People's War
against Japanese Aggression'', a theater of the ``World Anti-Fascist
War'', attended by heads of state or government from countries that
included the Russian Federation, the People's Democratic Republic of
Korea, Belarus, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Cuba, and other
totalitarian and authoritarian nations that the People's Republic of
China seeks to align with its vision of a future world order, or
``Community of Common Destiny for Mankind'';
Whereas the claim by the Chinese Communist Party that forces under its command
deserve primary credit for the victory of the Allies over the Empire of
Japan in World War II is a historical revisionist claim that amounts to
``stolen valor'' at the expense of the Republic of China, the United
States wartime ally, and the Armed Forces of the United States, which
carried out the bulk of the fighting in the Pacific Theater;
Whereas the brunt of the war effort against the then-Empire of Japan in China
was borne by the Republic of China and armed forces under the leadership
of Chinese Nationalists (also known as the ``Kuomintang'');
Whereas, even before the formal declaration of war between the United States and
the Empire of Japan, former American servicemen formed the American
Volunteer Group, known as the ``Flying Tigers'', to assist the Republic
of China in its war of resistance;
Whereas, following the entry of the United States into World War II, Lieutenant
General Joseph Stilwell, the Allied commander for forces operating in
the China-Burma-India Theater, and General Sun Li-jen, a graduate of
Virginia Military Institute, collaborated extensively in such theater;
Whereas the Chinese Communist Party and its forces did minimal fighting against
the Empire of Japan relative to the Chinese Nationalist and United
States forces, allowing the Armed Forces of the Republic of China to
bear the brunt of the mainland fighting and casualties while building up
military strength, with the support of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (commonly known as the ``Soviet Union''), for the upcoming
civil war the Chinese Communist Party intended to wage against the
Government of the Republic of China, with the objective of bringing
China under Communist control;
Whereas, in a 1939 report to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, Chou En-lai (Zhou
Enlai), a member of the Chinese Communist Party, acknowledged that of an
estimated 1,000,000 casualties suffered in combat with the Empire of
Japan through the summer of 1939, only three percent were Communist
forces, conceding the leadership role of the Chinese Nationalist forces
of the Republic of China;
Whereas the Soviet Union, which signed a non-aggression pact with Japan in April
1941, entered the Pacific Theater on August 9, 1945, six days before the
de facto cessation of hostilities by the Empire of Japan, and continued
military campaigns beyond August 15 in an effort to occupy as much
territory and weaponry in Northeastern China and Manchuria for the
benefit of the Chinese Communist Party and obtain as much materiel and
industrial equipment as possible for shipment back to the Soviet Union;
Whereas, on September 2, 1945, the Government of the Empire of Japan signed the
Instrument of Surrender (referred to in this preamble as the
``Instrument'') and affixed seals to it aboard the USS Missouri,
bringing the War in the Pacific to an end;
Whereas, at the signing of the Instrument, the Supreme Commander for the Allied
Powers and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied
Powers, the Republic of China, as a wartime ally of the United States,
was represented by General Hsu Yung-ch'ang, and the United States was
represented by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz;
Whereas the Empire of Japan presented the Instrument to the Government of the
Republic of China at its capital in Nanking on September 9, 1945,
satisfying the requirement that a signed copy of the Instrument be
formally conveyed;
Whereas, despite the Chinese Communist Party having entered into a United Front
coalition with the Chinese Nationalists in 1937, the Chinese Communist
Party restarted a civil war soon after the end of World War II, seeking
to defeat the Chinese Nationalists and take control of mainland China;
Whereas, on November 3, 1946, Japan promulgated a new constitution, effective
May 3, 1947, and became a partner for peace in East Asia;
Whereas, on September 8, 1951, Japan signed the Security Treaty Between the
United States of America and Japan, which entered into force on April
28, 1952;
Whereas the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States
of America and Japan (commonly known as the ``United States-Japan
Security Treaty''), done at Washington, January 19, 1960, allows for
robust cooperation between Japan and the United States to preserve peace
in Asia;
Whereas the Japan Self-Defense Forces are able to rapidly deploy a humanitarian
disaster relief response;
Whereas Japan is a member of ``the Quad'' and other multilateral dialogues that
emphasize the need to preserve freedom of navigation and peace in the
Indo-Pacific in the face of the aggressive activities by the People's
Republic of China threatening those principles;
Whereas the Republic of China, often referred to as the ``Republic of China
Taiwan'', endures today, and President Lai Ching-te in his public
addresses has--
(1) also invoked this name, recalling the pre-1945 history of the
Republic of China and the contributions made by Chinese Nationalist
soldiers and graduates of the Whampoa Military Academy; and
(2) joined with other World War II allies of the Republic of China in
commemoration of Victory in Europe; and
Whereas the Chinese Communist Party routinely employs propaganda and censorship
to construct a distorted narrative about its past and present actions
that are at odds with actual history: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) urges the United States Government, via public
diplomacy and media outreach, to counter--
(A) the historical revisionism and propaganda of
the Chinese Communist Party, particularly with regard
to the Allied Victory in World War II; and
(B) the ``stolen valor'' narrative of the Chinese
Communist Party, which seeks to downplay the role of
the Republic of China and elevate that of the forces of
the Chinese Communist Party;
(2) calls upon the Secretary of State to use the voice,
vote, and influence of the United States at the United Nations
and other international organizations to counter efforts by the
Chinese Communist Party to distort history, including efforts
to distort and disregard the actual text of United Nations
General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI);
(3) exhorts the Secretary of Education and State and local
school boards to ensure that history regarding allies of the
United States during World War II is taught with historical
accuracy and guards against propaganda narratives perpetuated
by the Chinese Communist Party;
(4) recognizes the wartime accomplishments of the Republic
of China, the United States, and their allies;
(5) commends the heroism and altruism of the American
Volunteer Group;
(6) recognizes the critical role played by Japan, along
with the United States and Taiwan, and other likeminded allies
and partners of the United States to preserve peace and
stability in the Indo-Pacific region; and
(7) supports efforts by Taiwan, consistent with the Taiwan
Allies International Protection and Enhancement (TAIPEI) Act of
2019 (Public Law 116-135), in strengthening its official
diplomatic relationships and other partnerships with countries
around the world, as well as its participation in international
organizations.
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