| R 342 |
| 2016 -- H 7739 AS AMENDED Enacted 06/28/2016 |
| J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N |
| REAFFIRMING THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN RHODE ISLAND AND TAIWAN, COMMENDING TAIWAN'S ACHIEVEMENT ON ITS ELECTION OF THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT, ENHANCING BILATERAL RELATIONS, AND SUPPORTING TAIWAN IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY |
| Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, and Kennedy |
| Date Introduced: February 24, 2016 |
| WHEREAS, The United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) share a most |
| important relationship marked by a mutually beneficial partnership, and supported by our |
| common values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and a free market economy; and |
| WHEREAS, Former President Ma Ying-jeou worked tirelessly to uphold democratic |
| principles in Taiwan, ensure the prosperity of Taiwan's 23 million people, promote Taiwan's |
| international standing, and further improve relations between the United States and Taiwan; and |
| WHEREAS, Taiwan and the United States share the common goal of peace in the East |
| China Sea, and Taiwan proposed an East China Sea Peace Initiative on August 5, 2012, urging all |
| parties concerned to exercise restraint, avoid actions that could escalate confrontation in the |
| region, shelve disputes, not abandon dialogue, and observe international law to resolve disputes in |
| a peaceful manner; and |
| WHEREAS, Taiwan proposed the South China Sea Peace Initiative on May 26, 2015 as a |
| practical, viable solution to set aside territorial disputes and focus on joint exploration, |
| cooperation, and development of economic resources. Taiwan urges all concerned parties to |
| shelve sovereignty disputes, observe international law, exercise restraint, safeguard peace and |
| stability, and refrain from unilateral action to ensure peace and stability; and |
| WHEREAS, Taiwan has achieved a full democracy, replete with free and transparent |
| elections, including the election of the nation's first female President in May of 2016, and thereby |
| providing a beacon of hope and a model for all peoples in the Asia-Pacific region who desire to |
| live under freedom and democracy; and |
| WHEREAS, The United States and Taiwan, and especially Rhode Island, share a |
| historically close relationship, marked by strong bilateral trade, educational and cultural |
| exchange, scientific and technological interests, and tourism; and |
| WHEREAS, Taiwan has been a member of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program since |
| November 1, 2012, reflecting the friendship, trust and cooperation shared between our two |
| countries, and making travel between Taiwan and the United States for business and tourism even |
| more convenient, and since 2012, the number of Taiwan visitors to the United States has |
| increased by 40 percent annually, reaching almost half a million visitors in 2014; 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 |
| from January to November, 2015, between the United States and Taiwan amounting to $61.5 |
| billion, and said trade has created or supported at least 400,000 United States jobs according to |
| the United States Department of Commerce. New England exported more than $1 billion in |
| goods to Taiwan of which Rhode Island exported $90.8 million in goods, mostly in primary |
| metal, chemicals, and machinery, making Taiwan Rhode Island's 2nd largest export market in |
| Asia and 7th largest export market in the world (2014); and |
| WHEREAS, Talks on the Taiwan-US Trade and Investment Framework Agreement |
| (TIFA), resumed on March 10, 2013, and negotiations for a Bilateral Investment Agreement |
| (BIA) between Taiwan and the United States is an important step towards strengthening bilateral |
| trade and paving the way for entering into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between our countries, |
| thereby increasing Rhode Island's exports to Taiwan and creating greater bilateral investment and |
| technical collaboration; and |
| WHEREAS, United States President Barack Obama and the leaders of eight Trans- |
| Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries announced the achievement of the broad outlines for a 21st |
| century TPP agreement on November 12, 2011, and later reached by twelve Pacific Rim countries |
| on October 5, 2015, and in which Taiwan, the 19th largest trading economy in the world, has |
| expressed a keen interest to participate, so as to forge close linkages among economies, enhance |
| competitiveness, and benefit consumers; and |
| WHEREAS, Taiwan has attended the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) |
| assembly as a special guest since 2013, and it remains in the interest of the traveling public that |
| Taiwan be included in the ICAO because Taiwan is a key transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region |
| and the Taipei Flight Information Region (TAIPEI FIR) under Taiwan's jurisdiction covers an |
| area of 176,000 square nautical miles with as many as 1.8 million controlled flights, most |
| international, with over 40 million travelers passing through annually, and Taiwan reiterates its |
| commitment to ICAO standards and seeks to expand its meaningful participation in the ICAO, |
| including attending technical and regional meetings, and related activities in 2016; and |
| WHEREAS, The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) |
| adopted in Paris on December 12, 2015, is the world's key instrument to deal with climate change |
| and a concerted global effort to combat the challenges posed by climate change requires that |
| Taiwan be included in the work of the UNFCCC and Taiwan has expressed a keen interest to |
| participate in the global effort to address climate change; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence |
| Plantations hereby reaffirms Joint Resolution 2015-H 5198 passed on March 6, 2015, |
| "Reaffirming the Friendship between the State of Rhode Island and Taiwan, Enhancing Bilateral |
| Trade Relations, and Supporting Taiwan in the International Community," and furthermore |
| commends Taiwan's 2016 Presidential election, Taiwan's role as peacemaker in the East and |
| South China Seas, and urges the signing of the U.S.-Taiwan Bilateral Investment Agreement |
| (BIA) and Free Trade Agreement, so as to further strengthen Rhode Island-Taiwan trade |
| relations, and support Taiwan's participation in international organizations and agreements, |
| including UNFCCC, ICAO, and regional economic integration, including the TPP; 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 to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the |
| United States, the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, Governor Gina Raimondo, President |
| Tsai Ing-wen, on behalf of the 23 million citizens of Taiwan, and Scott Lai, Director-General of |
| the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston. |
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| LC005208 |
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