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General Assembly House Joint
Resolution No. 54
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 3555
Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
AND ELECTIONS
Introduced by:
(GAE)
RESOLUTION COMMEMORA TING THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE CONNECTICUT -TAIWAN SISTER STATE RELATIONSHIP.
Resolved by this Assembly:
WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut and the Republic of China 1
(Taiwan) have enjoyed a long history of friendship and have 2
maintained a fruitful sister-state relationship encompassing cultural, 3
educational and economic exchanges since 1999; and 4
WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut exported 181 million dollars' 5
worth of products to Taiwan in 2017, making Taiwan one of the major 6
foreign markets for Connecticut, and strengthening a robust bilateral 7
trade relationship as well as fostering a continued collaboration 8
between their respective industries; and 9
WHEREAS, as a full-fledged democracy and robust free-market 10
economy, Taiwan shares with the United States the principles and 11
values that provide a strong foundation for mutually beneficial 12
relations; and 13 House Joint Resolution No. 54
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WHEREAS, the United States Congress passed the landmark 14
Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) in 1979 to sustain a close bilateral 15
relationship as well as to advance mutual security and commercial 16
interests between the United States and Taiwan, and the TRA has 17
served as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations and has 18
helped to preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait; and 19
WHEREAS, Taiwan's inclusion in the United States Visa Waiver 20
Program and Global Entry, and the reciprocal travel facilitation 21
enjoyed by United States citizens when visiting Taiwan, allows Taiwan 22
and the United States, including the sister-state of Connecticut, to 23
develop closer relations and to witness rapid growth in all areas of 24
bilateral development; and 25
WHEREAS, the United States has assisted Taiwan in participating 26
in the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer in 2009, and will 27
continue supporting Taiwan's participation in other international 28
organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization 29
(ICAO) and the International Criminal Police Organization 30
(INTERPOL); and 31
WHEREAS, the United States and Taiwan share a long-term and 32
close economic relationship, including 68.2 billion dollars in bilateral 33
trade in 2017, making Taiwan the eleventh largest trading partner of 34
the United States; and 35
WHEREAS, in order to strengthen the bilateral trade relations with 36
the United States, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) 37
has expressed its wish to sign a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with 38
the United States. 39
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Connecticut 40
General Assembly pause in its deliberations to recognize the twentieth 41
anniversary of the Connecticut-Taiwan Sister-State Relationship, and 42
reiterate its support of a closer economic and trade partnership 43
between the United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan); and 44 House Joint Resolution No. 54
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the clerks of the Senate and 45
House of Representatives cause a copy of this resolution to be sent to 46
President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China (Taiwan) through the 47
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. 48
GAE Joint Favorable