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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Relations between the Republic of China (Taiwan)
3and the United States, in particular the State of Illinois,
4which shares sister-city and sister-state relationships, are
5marked by strong bilateral trade, educational and cultural
6exchanges, and tourism; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Taiwan, which is the world's 17th-largest
8economy, shares with the United States and the State of
9Illinois, the common values of freedom, democracy, human
10rights, and a commitment to the rule of law; and
 
11    WHEREAS, As of 2012, Taiwan is the United States'
1211th-largest trading partner in the world, with bilateral trade
13worth US$63,000,000,000, the 16th-largest export market, with
14total U.S. exports worth US$24,400,000,000, the 6th-largest
15market for U.S. agricultural goods, and its 11th-largest source
16of imports; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Taiwan and the State of Illinois have enjoyed a
18long and mutually beneficial relationship and anticipate
19continuing growth, as Illinois in 2012 continued to rank 5th
20among all U.S. states in the value of overall exports to
21Taiwan, then worth almost US$952,000,000, and Taiwan in 2012,
22ranked as Illinois' 16th-largest export destination, its

 

 

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16th-largest market in Asia, and its 9th-largest source of
2imports; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Taiwan has consistently imported more than
4US$3,500,000,000 of U.S. farm products annually and is the
5world's largest consumer per-capita of U.S. agricultural
6goods, including corn and soybeans, so vital to the Prairie
7State; while the Illinois economy has greatly benefited from
8Taiwan's reliably large imports of Illinois farm products,
9which in 2012 were worth US$553,500,000 and comprised more than
1058% of Illinois's total exports to Taiwan that year; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Taiwan, in order to contribute to greater regional
12integration in the Asia-Pacific region and to further promote
13bilateral investment and trade relations with the United
14States, Taiwan's third-largest trading partner, seeks to join
15the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the proposed 21st century
16trade agreement between the United States and currently 11
17other Asia-Pacific Rim countries; the United States has
18announced its intention that membership in the TPP expand in
19the future to include other friendly countries, such as Taiwan;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, Taiwan, an important economic power, a dynamic
22market economy, and leading supplier of high-tech products, is
23the 14th-largest exporter, and 16th-largest importer,

 

 

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1worldwide; according to the 2014 Index of Economic Freedom,
2Taiwan ranks as the world's 17th-freest economy, and 5th-freest
3among 42 economies in the Asia-Pacific region, behind Hong
4Kong, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, and is deserving
5of greater participation and inclusion in wider regional
6economic integration; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Negotiations for a bilateral investment agreement
8between Taiwan and the United States are an important step
9toward further strengthening bilateral trade and paving the way
10for entering into a free trade agreement between our 2
11countries, thereby increasing Illinois's exports to Taiwan and
12creating bilateral investment and technical collaboration
13through tariff reduction and other trade facilitation
14measures; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Taiwan is grateful to the United States and, in
16particular, to the State of Illinois, for their support of
17Taiwan's efforts to participate in international organizations
18such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),
19which bore fruit last year when the ICAO admitted Taiwan to
20attend the triennial ICAO Assembly in September of 2013 as a
21special guest, an encouraging first step as Taiwan uses this
22international mechanism to contribute to, and benefit from, the
23global strategy and effort to improve airline security and
24aviation safety; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Despite such modest successes, Taiwan's continued
2absence from international organizations, such as the United
3Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has
4hampered Taiwan's ability to participate in global climate
5initiatives and to respond to natural disasters such as Typhoon
6Haiyan, which struck the Philippines in November of 2013,
7resulting in the deaths of more than 6,000 people, the
8displacement of almost 2 million people, and more than
9US$216,000,000 in economic damage to the Philippines's
10infrastructure and agriculture, and since Taiwan and the
11Philippines are geographically close and both are subject to
12the severe effects of typhoons, Taiwan should be allowed to
13participate appropriately in, and no longer be excluded from,
14the UNFCCC; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Taiwan can be a valuable and constructive partner
16in the international response to adverse effects of climate
17change and severe weather emergencies, as evidenced by Taiwan's
18speedy and generous response to aid the victims of Typhoon
19Haiyan in the Philippines through practical assistance by
20Taiwan government agencies, direct government aid, and total
21donations, including private donations, of approximately
22US$12,220,000 in cash and in-kind relief; therefore, be it
 
23    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE

 

 

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1NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
2we affirm our commitment to the strong and deepening
3sister-city and sister-state relationships between Taiwan and
4the State of Illinois, and express continued support for
5Taiwan's efforts to secure entry to the Trans-Pacific
6Partnership (TPP); and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That we endorse the signing of a bilateral
8investment agreement with the United States and continue to
9welcome the U.S.-Taiwan trade talks, to promote Taiwan's
10bilateral investment and trade relations with the United States
11and facilitate its economic and other ties with Illinois and
12the individual states; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That we extend our support for Taiwan's
14appropriate participation in international organizations, such
15as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
16(UNFCCC), that impact the health, safety, and well-being of
17Taiwan; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19presented to United States Secretary of State John F. Kerry,
20UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, and the Taipei
21Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago.