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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The longstanding bonds of friendship between the |
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United States and Taiwan, embodied in the Taiwan Relations Act of |
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1979, continue to yield important economic, strategic, and cultural |
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benefits; and |
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WHEREAS, Taiwan ranks as the United States' 10th largest |
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trading partner, and in 2019, bilateral trade in goods reached |
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$85.5 billion; the seventh-largest export market for |
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U.S. agricultural products, Taiwan's biennial agricultural trade |
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goodwill missions result in multibillion-dollar supply deals, and |
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its annually dispatched delegations to the SelectUSA Investment |
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Summit boost investment; Taiwan's recent action to lift |
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restrictions on U.S. beef and pork beginning in January 2021 will |
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help enhance bilateral trade; and |
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WHEREAS, The robust US-Taiwan trade and investment |
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partnership provides a solid foundation for a mutually beneficial |
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bilateral trade agreement (BTA) to spur job creation, further |
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expand the global market, and secure international supply chains; |
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Taiwan is well positioned to play an important role in augmenting |
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the revitalization of the global supply chain as part of the |
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post-pandemic economic recovery; and |
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WHEREAS, Taiwan is committed to helping address global |
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challenges, from humanitarian crises to nontraditional security |
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threats; moreover, this year it has emerged as an important partner |
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in pandemic prevention, providing 54 million surgical masks and |
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other PPE to more than 80 countries around the world, including |
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nearly 1 million surgical masks from the Taiwan government and |
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Taiwan affiliated private groups to the State and cities of Texas; |
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the Taiwan Model has achieved world renown for its effective |
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pandemic prevention and containment, bolstering unprecedented |
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international support for Taiwan's bid to participate in the World |
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Health Assembly (WHA); and |
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WHEREAS, Taiwanese officials and civil society groups |
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partner with the United States on a range of issues to promote our |
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common values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; in March, |
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Taiwan joined with the United States to establish the Partnership |
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against Coronavirus, building on the cooperative tradition of prior |
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joint partnerships such as the Global Cooperation and Training |
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Framework (GCTF), which advances Taiwanese leadership in such |
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arenas as democratization, human rights, women's empowerment, and |
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public health; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1988, Texas and Taiwan have maintained a |
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sister-state relationship, and they enjoy particularly close |
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economic ties; Taiwanese firms have invested billions of dollars in |
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a wide range of Texas businesses; Taiwan is Texas' 10th largest |
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foreign market, and in 2019, it imported nearly $8.47 billion in |
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commodities from Texas, including computers and electronics, |
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industrial machinery equipment, chemicals, and foodstuffs; in |
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turn, Texas imported over $3.66 billion in Taiwanese goods, |
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primarily computers, electronics, metal products, transportation |
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equipment, and industrial machinery; and |
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WHEREAS, The establishment of a Texas Trade and Investment |
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Office in Taiwan could enhance the participation of small- and |
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medium-sized enterprises in trade and investment, and advance the |
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sister-state tie between Texas and Taiwan; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas and the United States have benefited |
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immeasurably through decades of unwavering friendship with Taiwan, |
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and the wider world is sure to reap tremendous rewards as Taiwan |
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works to enhance its presence in the international community; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby express its support for the strengthening of our |
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partnership with Taiwan and for the expansion of Taiwan's role on |
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the global stage; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives hereby: |
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(a) express support for a bilateral trade agreement between |
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the United States and Taiwan; |
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(b) express support for Taiwan's meaningful participation |
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in the International Criminal Police Organization, the |
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International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations |
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Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the World Health |
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Assembly; |
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(c) express support for a Texas Trade and Investment Office |
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in Taiwan; and |
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(d) celebrate the 42nd anniversary of the enactment of the |
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Taiwan Relations Act and the 33rd anniversary of the sister-state |
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relationship between the State of Texas and Taiwan; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston as |
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an expression of the sentiment of the Texas House of |
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Representatives. |