| 17 | 17 | | |
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| 18 | 18 | | Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS |
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| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | Introduced by: |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | (GAE) |
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| 23 | 23 | | |
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| 24 | 24 | | RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONNECTICUT-TAIWAN SISTER-STATE RELATIONSHIP. |
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| 25 | 25 | | |
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| 26 | 26 | | Resolved by this House: |
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| 27 | 27 | | |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut and the Republic of China (Taiwan) have enjoyed a long history of friendship and have maintained the fruitful sister-state relationship encompassing cultural, educational and economic exchanges for many years; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut exported 122.9 million dollars' worth of products to Taiwan in 2014, making Taiwan one of the major foreign markets for Connecticut, and will keep further strengthening our economic ties; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, as a full-fledged democracy and robust free market economy, Taiwan shares with the United States the principles and values that provide a strong foundation for mutually beneficial relations; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan's inclusion in the United States Visa Waiver Program on November 1, 2012, allows Taiwan and the United States, including the sister-state of Connecticut, to develop closer relations and to witness rapid growth in all areas of bilateral development; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | |
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| 36 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan is one of the strongest democratic allies of the United States in Asia and spares no effort to maintain peace and prosperity in East Asia as evidenced by the East China Sea Peace Initiative proposed by President Ma Ying-jeou; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | |
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| 38 | 38 | | WHEREAS, the United States has assisted Taiwan in participating in the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer in 2009, and will continue supporting Taiwan's participation in other United Nations-affiliated organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Criminal Police Organization; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | |
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| 40 | 40 | | WHEREAS, the United States and Taiwan share a long-term and close economic relationship, including 67.4 billion dollars in bilateral trade in 2014, making Taiwan the tenth largest trading partner of the United States; and |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | WHEREAS, in order to strengthen the bilateral trade relations with the United States, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has expressed its wish to participate in the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TTP) and to sign a Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) and a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States in the near future and the United States and the state of Connecticut will benefit from Taiwan's inclusion in the TTP, which will increase United States' exports by over 50 billion dollars; and |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | WHEREAS, the Connecticut House of Representatives wishes to congratulate President-elect Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President-elect Chen Chien-jen on their victory in Taiwan's presidential election on January 16, 2016 and to welcome Dr. Tsai as the first female president of Taiwan in its history. |
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| 45 | 45 | | |
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