| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | Introduced by: |
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| 23 | 23 | | |
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| 24 | 24 | | (GAE) |
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| 25 | 25 | | |
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| 26 | 26 | | RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE EIGHTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONNECTICUT-TAIWAN SISTER-STATE RELATIONSHIP. |
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| 27 | 27 | | |
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| 28 | 28 | | Resolved by this Assembly: |
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| 29 | 29 | | |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut and the Republic of China (Taiwan) have enjoyed a long history of friendship and have maintained a fruitful sister-state relationship encompassing cultural, educational and economic exchanges for many years; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut exported 116.5 million dollars' worth of products to Taiwan in 2015, making Taiwan one of the major foreign markets for Connecticut, and establishing a robust bilateral trade relationship; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | |
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| 34 | 34 | | 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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| 35 | 35 | | |
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| 36 | 36 | | 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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| 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 (INTERPOL); 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 66.6 billion dollars in bilateral trade in 2015, making Taiwan the ninth 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 sign a Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) and a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States in the near future. |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Connecticut General Assembly pause in its deliberations to recognize the eighteenth anniversary of the Connecticut-Taiwan Sister-State Relationship, and reiterate its support of a closer economic and trade partnership between the United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan); and |
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| 45 | 45 | | |
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| 46 | 46 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives cause a copy of this resolution to be sent to President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China (Taiwan) through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. |
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