SR 398 — Taiwan

FloridaDOCUMENT SenateUNAVAILABLE - 2018 (NP) SR 398 By Senator Bracy 11-00650-18 2018398__ Senate Resolution A resolution recognizing the relationship between and shared interests of the people of Taiwan and the United States and supporting these interests, as well as future opportunities for international trade between the two nations.

8 WHEREAS, the people of Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, elected their first female president, Dr.

Tsai Ing-wen, on January 16, 2016, by popular vote, and in June 2016 Florida welcomed her as she visited the state, further enhancing the bilateral relationship between the United States and Taiwan and strengthening the common value of democracy it shares with the United States, and WHEREAS, Taiwan is one of the allies of the United States in East Asia, and the United States continues to provide defensive weaponry, including sales of naval vessels, equipment, and munitions to Taiwan, as well as delivery of 60 Sikorsky UH60M Black Hawk helicopters, and WHEREAS, most of the post-sale training on these Black Hawk helicopters was conducted in Florida, which created jobs in this state and helped Taiwan maintain its defense capabilities, and WHEREAS, these transactions are consistent with the security and economic interests of the United States in East and Southeast Asia, and WHEREAS, Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, including its bid for observer status in the International Criminal Police Organization, known as INTERPOL, is significant, as is its participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the World Health Organization, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the World Trade Organization, and WHEREAS, as the world’s 18th largest trading economy and the 11th freest economy, Taiwan is devoted to bringing its regulations into alignment with United Nations conventions, including the organization’s Sustainable Development Goals, and has become a model of democratization for developing countries, and WHEREAS, while the people of Taiwan have consistently supported meaningful participation and involvement in the United Nations in the pursuit of world peace, they have been treated unjustly for political reasons, and WHEREAS, given Taiwan’s support for the humanitarian principles and goals of the United Nations, the voices of the people of Taiwan deserve to be heard by the organization and the international community, in keeping with Taiwan’s affirmation of faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of each person, and in the equal rights of men and women in all nations, and WHEREAS, Taiwan has been a member of the United States’ Visa Waiver Program since November 1, 2012, reflecting the cooperation between the United States and Taiwan and making two way travel for business and tourism more convenient, and WHEREAS, with respect to Taiwan’s contributions in the global marketplace in both traditional and innovative industries, support for continued bilateral dialogue under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, including efforts to explore the possibility for a future bilateral investment agreement and a free trade agreement with the United States, will globalize Taiwan’s economy and eliminate barriers to trade, thus solidifying Taiwan’s status as a robust and trustworthy partner of the United States for trade and security in East Asia, and WHEREAS, the State of Florida maintains and values its sister state relationship with Taiwan, which in 2016 was Florida’s seventh largest export market in Asia, and WHEREAS, in addition to the sister state relationship that exists between the State of Florida and Taiwan, sister city relationships are maintained between Miami-Dade County and New Taipei City, formerly Taipei County;

Orlando and Tainan City;

Fort Lauderdale, the City of Miami, and Pensacola, respectively, and Kaohsiung City;

and between PortMiami and Port Kaohsiung, and WHEREAS, April 10, 2018, marks the 39th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which codified in law the basis for continued commercial and cultural relations between the United States and Taiwan, NOW, THEREFORE, 79 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

81 That the Florida Senate recognizes the relationship between and shared interests of the people of Taiwan and the United States and supports these interests, as well as future opportunities for international trade between the two nations.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami and the Executive Office of the Governor as a tangible token of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.