2021 -- S 0847

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LC002762

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

REAFFIRMING THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN RHODE ISLAND AND TAIWAN, AND

SUPPORTING ENHANCED BILATERAL TRADE RELATIONS AND TAIWAN’S

INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION

     Introduced By: Senators Cano, Kallman, and DiMario

     Date Introduced: April 27, 2021

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, The United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) share a vibrant

bilateral relationship marked by a mutually beneficial partnership, supported by our common

values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and a free market economy, and our countries now

enjoy the strongest relations ever; and

     WHEREAS, President Tsai Ing-wen has worked tirelessly to safeguard democracy and

way of life in Taiwan, ensure the prosperity of Taiwan’s 24 million people, and has expressed

commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region; and

     WHEREAS, The United States Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, and State, in a

formal letter sent to the Governors of all 50 states, dated September 30, 2019, stated that

“expanding relations with Taiwan in areas such as trade, education, investment, and tourism is

fully compatible with and supports U.S. policy and can be beneficial to your state or

municipality”; and

     WHEREAS, President Tsai has expressed Taiwan’s desire to reach a Bilateral Trade

Agreement (BTA) with the United States and the United States Senate unanimously passed the

“Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act (TAIPEI) of 2019”

(S.1678) on October 28, 2019, affirming that the “United States should engage in bilateral trade

negotiations with Taiwan”; and

     WHEREAS, The Taiwan Government has donated 135,000 surgical masks and 5,000

N95 masks to the State of Rhode Island to assist in the fight against Covid-19, demonstrating that

Taiwan is a responsible stakeholder and should be included in the World Health Organization

(WHO) and the World Health Assembly (WHA); and

     WHEREAS, The United States ranks as Taiwan’s 2nd largest trading partner, and Taiwan

is the 10th largest trading partner of the United States, with bilateral trade in goods and services

amounting to approximately $90 billion in 2020, which helped create or support approximately

373,288 United States jobs; and

     WHEREAS, New England exported more than $1 billion in goods to Taiwan in which

Rhode Island exported $24 million in goods, making Taiwan the 17th largest export market of

Rhode Island in the world and the 6th largest export market in Asia (2018); and

     WHEREAS, Being a key transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan’s inclusion in

international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), International Criminal

Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is

imperative for the best interest and safety of the international community. In addition, Taiwan’s

participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is

necessary in the global effort to combat climate change; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby supports a stronger

United States-Taiwan relationship under the Biden Administration, including the signing of a

Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), and seeks to further strengthen the Rhode Island-Taiwan

partnership, and encourages the Rhode Island State government to further explore ways to

strengthen and promote bilateral exchange between Rhode Island and Taiwan in all areas,

including signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taiwan regarding bilateral

economic and trade exchange and cooperation; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby supports Taiwan’s participation in international

organizations and agreements, including the WHO, WHA, INTERPOL, UNFCCC and ICAO;

and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution the Honorable Joseph Biden, President of the

United States, the Rhode Island Delegation to the United States Congress, the Honorable Daniel

McKee, Governor, State of Rhode Island, President Tsai Ing-wen, Republic of China (Taiwan),

and Director-General Jonathan Sun, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston.

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LC002762

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