ENROLLED HOUSE
RESOLUTION NO. 1016	By:	Wright, Mulready, Armes, Banz, Bennett, Biggs, Billy, Blackwell, Brown, Brumbaugh, Cannaday, Casey, Christian, Cleveland, Cockroft, Condit, Coody, Cooksey, Cox, Dank, Denney, Derby, DeWitt, Dorman, Echols, Enns, Fisher, Floyd, Fourkiller, Glenn, Grau, Hall, Hamilton, Hardin, Henke, Hickman, Hoskin, Hulbert, Inman, Jackson, Johnson, Jordan, Joyner, Kern, Kirby, Kouplen, Lockhart, Martin (Scott), Martin (Steve), Matthews, McBride, McCall, McCullough, McDaniel (Curtis), McDaniel (Jeannie), McDaniel (Randy), McNiel, McPeak, Moore, Morrissette, Murphey, Nelson, Newell, Nollan, O'Donnell, Ortega, Osborn, Ownbey, Perryman, Peterson, Pittman, Proctor, Pruett, Quinn, Renegar, Reynolds, Ritze, Roberts (Dustin), Roberts (Sean), Rousselot, Russ, Sanders, Schwartz, Scott, Sears, Shannon, Shelton, Sherrer, Shoemake, Smalley, Stiles, Thomsen, Trebilcock, Turner, Vaughan, Virgin, Walker, Watson, Wesselhoft, Williams and Wood

A Resolution celebrating the 33rd anniversary of the Sister-State relationship between Oklahoma and Taiwan; welcoming the Honorable Director General Steve Hsia to the Oklahoma House of Representatives; and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, the United States and Taiwan share an important relationship that is supported by our common values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and a commitment to a free market economy; and

WHEREAS, the State of Oklahoma and Taiwan initiated a Sister-State Agreement on July 25, 1980, have enjoyed the benefits of the bonds of friendship and goodwill since that time, and now prepare to celebrate their 33rd anniversary in 2013; and

WHEREAS, the United States ranks as Taiwan's third largest trading partner and Taiwan is the tenth largest trading partner of the United States.  Bilateral trade in goods and services between the United States and Taiwan reached $63 billion in 2012; and

WHEREAS, negotiations for a Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) between Taiwan and the U.S. are an important step toward strengthening bilateral trade and paving the way for entering into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between our countries, thereby increasing Oklahoma's exports to Taiwan and creating greater bilateral investment and technical collaboration through tariff reduction and trade facilitation measures; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. and the eight other Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries announced the achievement of the broad outlines for a 21st century TPP agreement on November 12, 2011, and Taiwan has expressed a keen interest in participating so as to forge close links among economies, enhance competitiveness and benefit consumers; and

WHEREAS, Steve Hsia assumed his post as Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston on March 27, 2013, and he graciously visited the Oklahoma House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Taiwan is now a member of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (effective November 1, 2012), reflecting the friendship, trust and cooperation shared between our two countries, and making travel between Taiwan and Oklahoma for business and tourism even more convenient.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 54TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives celebrates the 33rd anniversary of the Sister-State relationship between Oklahoma and Taiwan.

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives welcomes the Honorable Director General Steve Hsia to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

THAT a copy of this resolution be distributed to Steve Hsia, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston.

Adopted by the House of Representatives the 10th day of April, 2013.

	
Presiding Officer of the House of
	Representatives

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________ day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________