H.R. No. 1593
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Texas and Taiwan are celebrating the 21st
anniversary of their Sister State relationship in June 2009; and
WHEREAS, In the United States, the idea for a sister city
program that would foster international friendship was given
significant impetus by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as part of
his People to People initiative; and
WHEREAS, Texas and Taiwan became Sister States on June 13,
1988, and today 11 jurisdictions within Texas enjoy similar ties
with their Taiwanese counterparts; these pairs are Houston and
Taipei Municipality, San Antonio and Kaohsiung Municipality,
Austin and the City of Taichung, Corpus Christi and the City of
Keelung, DeSoto and the City of Taoyuan, Laredo and Tainan County,
Addison and the City of Panchiao, Marshall and Taipei Municipality,
Plano and the City of Hsinchu, Garland and Luchu Township, and
Harris County and Taipei County; and
WHEREAS, The links connecting Texas and Taiwan are evident in
many spheres of activity; economic relations between the two are
especially important: in 2007, Taiwan imported $5.1 billion worth
of Texas goods and ranked as this state's sixth-most-important
export market; at the same time, Taiwanese firms have invested
billions of dollars in Texas businesses; and
WHEREAS, A number of Taiwanese students study in Texas, and
many Taiwanese families have settled here; Taiwanese cultural,
religious, and economic organizations are flourishing in the Lone
Star State, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston,
under the outstanding direction of Steve Chen, plays a vital role in
increasing awareness of bilateral business opportunities, in
addition to its excellent work in promoting artistic and
educational exchanges; and
WHEREAS, The people of Texas and Taiwan have much to gain from
one another, and connections made possible through the Sister State
and Sister City affiliations contribute immeasurably toward our
mutual enrichment; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 21st anniversary of the signing
of the Sister State agreement between Texas and Taiwan and extend
sincere best wishes to all those who are engaged in strengthening
Texas-Taiwan Sister relations; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston as
an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
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______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1593 was adopted by the House on May
4, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House