SLS 19RS-309 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 33
BY SENATOR WALSWORTH
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Encourages closer economic ties between the United
States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) and supports its meaningful participation in
various international organizations.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To encourage closer economic relationships between the United States and the Republic of
3 China (Taiwan) and support its meaningful participation in various international
4 organizations.
5 WHEREAS, for decades the United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) have
6 fostered a close relationship of mutual economic, cultural, and strategic benefit; and
7 WHEREAS, bilateral trade between the U.S. and Taiwan reached $76 billion in
8 2018, making Taiwan the eleventh largest trading partner of the U.S. and the largest per
9 capita importer of U.S. agricultural products; and
10 WHEREAS, both nations could realize further economic gains through establishing
11 a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) as well as enhancing platforms such as a Trade and
12 Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and Digital Economy Forum (DEF); and
13 WHEREAS, Taiwan maintains biennial agricultural procurement missions to the
14 U.S. to sign multibillion dollar supply deals and routinely dispatches a substantial delegation
15 to participate in the SelectUSA Investment Summit; and
16 WHEREAS, the World Economic Forum's 2018 Global Competitiveness Report
17 rated Taiwan thirteenth among one hundred forty economies and recognized Taiwan as one
18 of the World's Four Super Innovators, resulting from wide-ranging regulatory efforts to build
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1 an environment conducive to financial sector development and foreign direct investment,
2 and underscoring the impact of Taiwan's 5+2 industrial innovation initiative targeting the
3 high-growth sectors of biotech and pharmaceuticals, green energy, national defense, smart
4 machinery, and Internet of Things as well as the circular economy and new agriculture; and
5 WHEREAS, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has paid two visits to underscore the
6 close ties between our two countries; and
7 WHEREAS, President Tsai Ing-wen has met with Governor John Bel Edwards to
8 highlight the agreement between Taiwan's CPC Corporation and Cheniere Energy for a $25
9 billion, twenty-five year purchase of Louisiana liquified natural gas, and the economic
10 benefit of Formosa Petrochemical's multibillion dollar investment in St. James Parish, as
11 well as the remarkable accomplishment of signing a driver's license reciprocity agreement
12 between Louisiana and Taiwan; and
13 WHEREAS, the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 has continued to provide a sturdy
14 foundation for robust U.S.-Taiwan relations to flourish for forty years, contributing to peace
15 and stability in the Asia-Pacific region; and
16 WHEREAS, this year the Taiwan Travel Act was passed by both chambers of the
17 U.S. Congress and signed by President Trump to encourage high-level officials' visits
18 between our two countries; both countries have further affirmed the partnership in such areas
19 as international humanitarian assistance, public health, and technology under the Global
20 Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) established in June 2015; and
21 WHEREAS, 2019 marks the thirty-fourth anniversary of the Louisiana-Taiwan
22 sister-state relations, which have nurtured and maintained a friendship built upon
23 unwavering bonds beneficial and rewarding for both governments and their citizens now and
24 in the future; and
25 WHEREAS, travel from Taiwan to the United States increased by more than fifty
26 percent since Taiwan's participation in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program in 2012, EVA Air
27 launched their direct Taipei-Houston route in 2015, and Taiwan joined the U.S. Global Entry
28 program in November 2017, all of these are significant efforts that will continue to promote
29 tourism and encourage exchanges between the two countries; and
30
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1 WHEREAS, nontraditional security threats are increasing and the meaningful
2 participation and inclusion of Taiwan to the International Criminal Police Organization
3 (INTERPOL), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations
4 Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the World Health Assembly
5 (WHA) would be beneficial to all nations and their people.
6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
7 encourage closer economic relationships between the United States and Taiwan by
8 negotiating a BTA between the two countries, commends Taiwan's inclusion in the U.S.
9 Global Entry and Visa Waiver Program to encourage economic and cultural exchanges, and
10 supports Taiwan's meaningful participation in the INTERPOL, ICAO, UNFCCC, and WHA.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to
12 Mr. Peter Chen, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston,
13 Texas.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by McHenry Lee.
DIGEST
SCR 33 Original 2019 Regular Session Walsworth
Encourages closer economic ties between the U.S. and the Republic of China (Taiwan) and
supports its meaningful participation in various international organizations.
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