Bill Text: DE SR23 | 2017-2018 | 149th General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: Reaffirming The Sister-state Relationship Between The State Of Delaware And Taiwan, Strengthening Bilateral Trade Relations With Taiwan, And Supporting Taiwan's Participation In International Organizations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-06-19 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 18 YES 3 ABSENT [SR23 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2017-SR23-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Sen. Townsend & Sen. Sokola |
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
149th GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 23
REAFFIRMING THE SISTER-STATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE OF DELAWARE AND TAIWAN, STRENGTHENING BILATERAL TRADE RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN, AND SUPPORTING TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
WHEREAS, the Republic of China ( “ Taiwan ” ) and the United States have enjoyed a longstanding partnership and share the common values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law . In 2018, Taiwan was ranked by Freedom House as second freest country in Asia, and the Heritage Foundation rated Taiwan as third in Asia in terms of economic freedom, demonstrating the strength and vitality of its democratic system and showcasing Taiwan as a beacon of democracy for Asia and beyond; and
WHEREAS, t he State of Delaware is proud of the sister-state relationship it has enjoyed with Taiwan since September 12 , 2000 , which has been marked by strong bilateral trade, education , and cultural exchange. I n 2017, the bilateral trade between Delaware and Taiwan amounted to nearly $193.6 million, making Taiwan our twelfth-largest e xporting trading partner globally and third-largest importing trading partner in Asia, demonstrating that Taiwan is not only a friendly sister-state of Delaware but also an important trading partner; and
WHEREAS, the United States is Taiwan ’ s second-largest trading partner and second-largest destination of Taiwan outward investment; Taiwan is the eleventh-largest trading partner of the United States, with bilateral trade reach ing $68.2 billion in 2017, and seventh largest export destination for U.S. agricultural goods, and overall the fourteenth-largest export market; and
WHEREAS, Delaware welcomes all opportunities for an even closer economic partnership to increase the trade and investment and endorses Taiwan ’ s effort to secure the signing of a U.S.-Taiwan Bilateral Trade Agreement, to boost Delaware exports to Taiwan and to bring in more Taiwanese investment; and
WHEREAS, in the 2016 -20 17 academic year, 21,516 students from Taiwan studied in the U.S., making Taiwan the seventh-leading place of origin for students coming to the U.S. and contributed more than 738 million to the U.S. economy, through their spending on tuition, accommodation and living expenses; and
WHEREAS, T aiwan is pursu ing a “ New Southbound Policy ” to promote more diverse bilateral and multilateral collaboration with Southeast Asia, South Asia, Australia , and New Zealand, serving the best interests of the Asia-Pacific region in the continuation of stability and growth; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan has been proven to be a very valuable contributor in a broad range of global issues, and it is necessary to be granted access to meaningfully participate in various international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) .
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 149th General Assembly of the State of Delaware that the members reaffirm our commitment to strengthening and deepening the sister-state relationship between Taiwan and the State of Delaware; commend Taiwan’s vibrant, full-fledged democracy; endorse Taiwan’s efforts to secure the signing of a bilateral trade agreement with the United States; continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation and contribution in international organizations that impact the health, safety, and well-being of its people; support Taiwan’s aspiration to make more meaningful contribution in international societies.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be sent to Governor John Carney and another sent to Mr. Stanley Kao, the Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States.
SYNOPSIS
This Senate Resolution reaffirms the sister-state relationship between the State of Delaware and Taiwan, supports the strengthening of bilateral trade relations with Taiwan, and supports Taiwan's meaningful participation in and contribution to international organizations.
Author: Senator Townsend
