Bill Text: MI SR0054 | 2011-2012 | 96th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution congratulating the Republic of China (Taiwan) on its centenary and expressing continued support of Michigan's cordial relations with Taiwan and for increasing Taiwan's international space as part of the global community.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 13-4)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-12 - Adopted [SR0054 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2011-SR0054-Enrolled.html
SR-54, As Adopted by Senate, May 12, 2011
Senators Schuitmaker, Pappageorge, Emmons, Hune, Hildenbrand, Jones, Nofs, Booher, Smith, Anderson, Richardville, Proos and Bieda offered the following resolution:
Senate Resolution No. 54.
A resolution congratulating the Republic of China (Taiwan) on its centenary and expressing continued support of Michigan’s cordial relations with Taiwan and for increasing Taiwan’s international space as part of the global community.
Whereas, The Republic of China (Taiwan) celebrates its centenary this year and its National Day on October, 10, 2011, and joins friends and compatriots around the world in commemorating 100 years since its birth on October 10, 1911, as Asia’s first republic; and
Whereas, The Republic of China, which exists today on Taiwan, is the world’s 19th-largest economy and a major U.S. trading partner, which in the last two decades has achieved economic and social stability. It has been lauded as a beacon of democracy for Asia, dramatically improved its record on human rights, and taken great steps forward to enter the world arena as a trusted partner; and
Whereas, Taiwan has a strong economic and cultural relationship with Michigan, as Taiwan’s imports of U.S. goods in 2010 increased 41 percent over those in 2009. Taiwan’s imports of Michigan goods in 2010, valued at almost $229 million, increased 28 percent over the same period. Hundreds of Taiwanese students are enrolled at Michigan colleges and universities. Reciprocal business, professional, legislative, and other delegations and cultural and educational exchanges over the years have promoted ties and enhanced relations between Michigan and Taiwan; and
Whereas, Taiwan’s absence from international organizations has impeded its ability to participate in global climate initiatives and to respond to natural disasters like Typhoon Morakot, which struck Taiwan in the summer of 2009, an unusually destructive typhoon season in the Pacific; and
Whereas, The government of Taiwan is grateful for the assistance and condolences of the international community in the wake of Typhoon Morakot. Dozens of international organizations and nations stepped up to help, including the United States, which supplied military equipment for rescue and recovery operations, the European Union, Japan, and the Chinese mainland; and
Whereas, Aviation safety has become a major global concern since 2001, and Taiwan is a key air transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 1.35 million flights passing through the Taipei Flight Information Region and the world’s 15th-largest airport by cargo volume at Taoyuan International Airport; and
Whereas, The Taiwan government has undertaken a policy of flexible diplomacy in its international relations and a pragmatic approach to China, having completed a number of cross-strait liberalization measures, including regular, direct passenger flights between mainland China and Taiwan and other goodwill measures; resulting in reciprocal gestures and rapprochement between Taipei and Beijing; and has shown its readiness and ability to provide humanitarian aid to other nations, demonstrated by its swift delivery of assistance to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake there; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That we hereby congratulate the Republic of China (Taiwan) on the centennial of its birth in 1911 as Asia’s first republic. We affirm our support of the cordial relations between Michigan and Taiwan and for the meaningful participation of Taiwan in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to increase Taiwan’s international space and contribution to the global community; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to Governor Richard D. Snyder, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, UNFCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago.
