2008 -- S 2259

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LC01287

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2008

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

SUPPORTING A TAIWAN-UNITED STATES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (TUFTA)

     Introduced By: Senators Walaska, and Issa

     Date Introduced: February 07, 2008

     Referred To: Senate Constitutional & Regulatory Issues

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     WHEREAS, Taiwan and the United States share an important economic and strategic

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international relationship; and

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     WHEREAS, TUFTA advances the national interests of both Taiwan and the United

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States; and

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     WHEREAS, Both countries are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and

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TUFTA would expand on the principles advanced by the WTO and the Asia Pacific Economic

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Cooperation; and

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     WHEREAS, Taiwan and the United States share and promote a mutual belief in freedom,

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democracy, antiterrorism and market principles; and

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     WHEREAS, The level of mutual investment between Taiwan and the United States is

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quite high whereby Taiwan is the 9th largest trading partner of the United States, and in 2006,

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United States exports to Taiwan totaled $22.6 billion U.S. dollars; and

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     WHEREAS, United States exports to Taiwan under TUFTA would expand by an

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estimated $3.4 billion U.S. dollars; and

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     WHEREAS, Two-way investment flow would create new business and employment

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opportunities and would foster closer ties between Taiwanese and U.S. firms; and

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     WHEREAS, Streamlined foreign investment procedures developed under TUFTA would

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lead to further investment by firms in both Taiwan and the United States.

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     WHEREAS, TUFTA would stimulate joint development of advanced technology and

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new high-tech applications, and promote new cooperative ventures; and

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     WHEREAS, A 2002 study by the U.S. International Trade Commission supports the

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negotiation of a Taiwan-United States Free Trade Agreement; and

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     WHEREAS, TUFTA would build on the existing strong relations between Taiwan and

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the United States to simultaneously boost Taiwan’s security and democracy and serve the broader

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interests of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region; now, therefore, be it

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     RESOLVED, That the Rhode Island General Assembly hereby supports the negotiation

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of the Taiwan-United States Free Trade Agreement; and be it further

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

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to President George W. Bush; U.S. Secretary of

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Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez; the Rhode Island delegation to the United States Congress;

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President Chen Sheui-bian, on behalf of the 23 million citizens of Taiwan; and Director-General

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K.T. Yang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston.

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LC01287

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