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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, For decades, the United States and Taiwan have |
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fostered an important relationship that has been of mutual |
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economic, cultural, and strategic benefit; and |
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WHEREAS, The 22nd-largest economy in the world, Taiwan is the |
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10th-largest trading partner of the United States, and in 2016, |
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bilateral trade in goods and services between the two nations |
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reached $65.3 billion; and |
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WHEREAS, Taiwan is also the largest per capita importer of |
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U.S. farm products in the world and continues to pursue biennial |
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agricultural procurement missions to the United States to sign |
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multibillion-dollar supply deals, and each year since 2013, it has |
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dispatched a delegation to the SelectUSA Investment Summit; and |
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WHEREAS, In recent years, travel from Taiwan to the United |
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States has increased substantially as a result of significant |
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efforts from both nations to promote tourism and encourage |
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exchanges; those efforts include Taiwan joining the U.S. Visa |
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Waiver Program in 2012, EVA Air launching its direct |
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Taipei-to-Houston route in 2015, and the United States and Taiwan |
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signing a joint statement on an international expedited traveler |
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initiative in 2016; in addition, Taiwan serves as an important hub |
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to other Asian destinations, and its national Civil Aeronautics |
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Administration annually provides services for over 1.5 million |
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controlled flights that carry a total of 58 million passengers; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas has specifically benefited from economic and |
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cultural ties to Taiwan that are nurtured by a vibrant Sister State |
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relationship; state exports to Taiwan were valued at more than $4.2 |
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billion in 2016, making Taiwan the fifth-largest Asian export |
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market for Texas, and some 38,000 jobs in the Lone Star State are |
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supported by companies affiliated with Taiwan; and |
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WHEREAS, American exports to Taiwan, combined with Taiwan's |
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investment in the United States, support more than 330,000 |
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good-paying jobs in our country; both nations could realize further |
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economic gains by establishing a free trade agreement and enhancing |
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the platforms of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and |
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the Digital Economy Forum; and |
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WHEREAS, Since its ratification, the Taiwan Relations Act of |
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1979 has been the cornerstone of relations between the United |
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States and Taiwan; both countries have further affirmed their |
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essential economic and security partnership by working together to |
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address global challenges in such areas as international |
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humanitarian assistance, public health, and technology under the |
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Global Cooperation and Training Framework, which was established in |
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June 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Taiwan is the only full-fledged democracy in the |
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Chinese-speaking world; the results of its 2016 presidential |
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election marked both the country's third peaceful transition of |
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power since 1996 and first transition of the national legislative |
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majority since 1949, proving that Taiwan would be a worthy member of |
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the Community of Democracies; and |
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WHEREAS, As nontraditional security threats increase in the |
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21st century, myriad people would benefit from Taiwan's inclusion |
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and participation in the International Criminal Police |
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Organization (INTERPOL), the International Civil Aviation |
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Organization (ICAO), the United Nations Framework Convention on |
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Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the World Health Assembly (WHA); and |
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WHEREAS, Greater participation by Taiwan in international |
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agreements and organizations will contribute immeasurably to its |
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prosperity, thereby heightening the synergies created through the |
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close and dynamic commercial partnership between Taiwan and the |
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United States; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby express its support for the expansion of |
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Taiwan's role in the international community; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives hereby: |
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(1) encourage Taiwan to negotiate a free trade |
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agreement with the United States; |
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(2) commend the signing of a joint statement on an |
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international expedited traveler initiative between the United |
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States and Taiwan; and |
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(3) express support for Taiwan's meaningful |
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participation in INTERPOL, ICAO, UNFCCC, and WHA; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the 29th anniversary of the Sister State |
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relationship between Texas and Taiwan be commemorated, and that |
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Louis M. Huang, director general of the Taipei Economic and |
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Cultural Office in Houston, be commended for his contributions |
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toward enhancing cooperation between the Lone Star State and |
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Taiwan; and, be it 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. |