HLS 16RS-1776 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 46
BY REPRESENTATIVE ADAMS
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: Encourages closer economic ties and friendship between
the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Louisiana and commends President-elect Ing-
Wen Tsai, the Taiwanese people, and Louis M. Huang
1 A RESOLUTION
2To commend the Republic of China, known as Taiwan, for positive economic relations with
3 Louisiana, to encourage closer economic relations between Taiwan and the United
4 States, to support the mutual recognition of noncommercial driver's licenses between
5 Taiwan and Louisiana, to congratulate president-elect Ing-Wen Tsai, and to
6 commend Mr. Louis M. Huang.
7 WHEREAS, the United States and Taiwan engage in robust bilateral trade; and
8 WHEREAS, Taiwan is the ninth largest United States trading partner, the largest per
9capita importer of United States agricultural products, and the sixth largest trading partner
10of Louisiana in Asia; and
11 WHEREAS, Formosa Petrochemical Corp. is now planning an estimated nine billion
12four hundred million dollar industrial complex in St. James Parish where the company would
13build two project phases producing ethylene and a host of downstream chemical products,
14through which Formosa would create one thousand two hundred new direct jobs with an
15average annual salary of eighty-four thousand five hundred dollars plus benefits and result
16in eight thousand new indirect jobs for a total of nine thousand two hundred new jobs in
17Louisiana; and
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HR NO. 46
1 WHEREAS, with the approval of the United States Department of Energy, Taiwan
2will begin a long-term plan to import shale gas from Louisiana, which is to begin in 2018
3and is expected to be a multibillion dollar business opportunity; and
4 WHEREAS, Taiwan remains a beacon of democracy and the only full-fledged
5democracy in the Chinese-speaking world; and
6 WHEREAS, a general election in Taiwan was held on January 16, 2016, in which
7Dr. Ing-Wen Tsai, the chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, was elected as the
8first female President; and
9 WHEREAS, President-elect Tsai, who is an expert on trade and who took part in the
10Taiwan-U.S. bilateral trade negotiations, was a major negotiator for Taiwan's accession to
11the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2002; and
12 WHEREAS, President-elect Tsai is familiar with and concerned about mutual
13interests between Taiwan and the United States; and
14 WHEREAS, the United States and the state of Louisiana will benefit from closer
15economic relationships with Taiwan by negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) and a
16bilateral investment agreement (BIA) and from U.S. support for Taiwan's membership in the
17Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); and
18 WHEREAS, the Business Roundtable's study shows that America's FTA partners
19purchased ten and four-tenths times more goods per capita from Louisiana than non-FTA
20countries did; and
21 WHEREAS, international trade supports more than five hundred thousand Louisiana
22jobs; and
23 WHEREAS, trade and investment liberalization policies save the average Louisiana
24family of four more than ten thousand dollars per year; and
25 WHEREAS, allowing the exchange of valid, noncommercial driver's licenses
26between Taiwan and Louisiana is part of efforts to promote a business-friendly environment
27in order to advance mutual trade and investment; and
28 WHEREAS, given the important role Taiwan plays in global aviation security,
29inclusion of Taiwan as a participant in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
30would help develop a global strategy to address aviation security threats; and
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HR NO. 46
1 WHEREAS, Taiwan has passed a landmark Greenhouse Gas Reduction and
2Management Act to cut carbon emissions to fifty percent of 2005 levels by 2050 and
3announced its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to commit itself to
4reduce greenhouse gas emissions by fifty percent from the current level by 2030, which
5shows that accommodating Taiwan's participation in the United Nations Framework
6Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) would help continue global efforts against
7harmful climate change.
8 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
9Legislature of Louisiana does hereby do the following:
10 (1)Present heartfelt congratulations to president-elect Ing-Wen Tsai for her
11election and admire the Taiwanese people for showing their commitment to democracy.
12 (2)Encourage closer economic relationships between Taiwan and the United
13States by encouraging negotiations of a FTA and a BIA between Taiwan and the United
14States and by supporting Taiwan's membership in the TPP.
15 (3)Encourage and support the mutual recognition of noncommercial driver's
16licenses between Taiwan and Louisiana.
17 (4)Support Taiwan's meaningful participation in the ICAO and UNFCCC.
18 (5)Celebrate the thirty-first anniversary of the sister-state relationship between
19Louisiana and Taiwan and the thirty-sixth anniversary of the sister-city relationship between
20Taichung City and Baton Rouge.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the Legislature
22of Louisiana does hereby commend Mr. Louis M. Huang, Director General of the Taipei
23Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, for efforts and contributions toward enhancing
24cooperation between Taiwan and Louisiana.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
26to Mr. Louis M. Huang.
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HR NO. 46
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 46 Original 2016 Regular Session Adams
Encourages closer economic relationships between Taiwan and the United States,
encourages and supports the mutual recognition of noncommercial driver's licenses between
Taiwan and the state of Louisiana, congratulates president-elect Ing-Wen Tsai for her
election, and commends Mr. Louis M. Huang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and
Cultural Office in Houston, for efforts and contributions toward enhancing cooperation
between Taiwan and Louisiana.
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