87R9231 TBO-F
 
  By: Sherman, Sr. H.R. No. 186
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, The longstanding bonds of friendship between the
  United States and Taiwan, embodied in the Taiwan Relations Act of
  1979, continue to yield important economic, strategic, and cultural
  benefits; and
         WHEREAS, Taiwan ranks as the United States' 10th largest
  trading partner, and in 2019, bilateral trade in goods reached
  $85.5 billion; the seventh-largest export market for
  U.S. agricultural products, Taiwan's biennial agricultural trade
  goodwill missions result in multibillion-dollar supply deals, and
  its annually dispatched delegations to the SelectUSA Investment
  Summit boost investment; Taiwan's recent action to lift
  restrictions on U.S. beef and pork beginning in January 2021 will
  help enhance bilateral trade; and
         WHEREAS, The robust US-Taiwan trade and investment
  partnership provides a solid foundation for a mutually beneficial
  bilateral trade agreement (BTA) to spur job creation, further
  expand the global market, and secure international supply chains;
  Taiwan is well positioned to play an important role in augmenting
  the revitalization of the global supply chain as part of the
  post-pandemic economic recovery; and
         WHEREAS, Taiwan is committed to helping address global
  challenges, from humanitarian crises to nontraditional security
  threats; moreover, this year it has emerged as an important partner
  in pandemic prevention, providing 54 million surgical masks and
  other PPE to more than 80 countries around the world, including
  nearly 1 million surgical masks from the Taiwan government and
  Taiwan affiliated private groups to the State and cities of Texas;
  the Taiwan Model has achieved world renown for its effective
  pandemic prevention and containment, bolstering unprecedented
  international support for Taiwan's bid to participate in the World
  Health Assembly (WHA); and
         WHEREAS, Taiwanese officials and civil society groups
  partner with the United States on a range of issues to promote our
  common values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; in March,
  Taiwan joined with the United States to establish the Partnership
  against Coronavirus, building on the cooperative tradition of prior
  joint partnerships such as the Global Cooperation and Training
  Framework (GCTF), which advances Taiwanese leadership in such
  arenas as democratization, human rights, women's empowerment, and
  public health; and
         WHEREAS, Since 1988, Texas and Taiwan have maintained a
  sister-state relationship, and they enjoy particularly close
  economic ties; Taiwanese firms have invested billions of dollars in
  a wide range of Texas businesses; Taiwan is Texas' 10th largest
  foreign market, and in 2019, it imported nearly $8.47 billion in
  commodities from Texas, including computers and electronics,
  industrial machinery equipment, chemicals, and foodstuffs; in
  turn, Texas imported over $3.66 billion in Taiwanese goods,
  primarily computers, electronics, metal products, transportation
  equipment, and industrial machinery; and
         WHEREAS, The establishment of a Texas Trade and Investment
  Office in Taiwan could enhance the participation of small- and
  medium-sized enterprises in trade and investment, and advance the
  sister-state tie between Texas and Taiwan; and
         WHEREAS, Texas and the United States have benefited
  immeasurably through decades of unwavering friendship with Taiwan,
  and the wider world is sure to reap tremendous rewards as Taiwan
  works to enhance its presence in the international community; now,
  therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
  Legislature hereby express its support for the strengthening of our
  partnership with Taiwan and for the expansion of Taiwan's role on
  the global stage; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives hereby:
         (a)  express support for a bilateral trade agreement between
  the United States and Taiwan;
         (b)  express support for Taiwan's meaningful participation
  in the International Criminal Police Organization, the
  International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations
  Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the World Health
  Assembly;
         (c)  express support for a Texas Trade and Investment Office
  in Taiwan; and
         (d)  celebrate the 42nd anniversary of the enactment of the
  Taiwan Relations Act and the 33rd anniversary of the sister-state
  relationship between the State of Texas and Taiwan; and, be it
  further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston as
  an expression of the sentiment of the Texas House of
  Representatives.