88R13613 TBO-F
By: Kolkhorst S.C.R. No. 34
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The longstanding bonds of friendship between the
United States and Taiwan, embodied in the Taiwan Relations Act of
1979, continue to yield important economic, social, strategic, and
cultural benefits; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan ranks as the United States' ninth largest
trading partner, and bilateral trade reached $114 billion in 2021;
that same year, Taiwan was the sixth largest export market for U.S.
agricultural products; the robust U.S.-Taiwan trade and investment
partnership provides a solid foundation for a mutually beneficial
bilateral trade agreement (BTA) to spur job creation, further
expand the global market, and secure international supply chains;
and
WHEREAS, Taiwan is committed to helping address global
challenges, from humanitarian crises to nontraditional security
threats; moreover, the country has emerged as an important partner
in pandemic prevention, bolstering unprecedented international
support for Taiwan's bid to participate in the World Health
Assembly (WHA); and
WHEREAS, Taiwanese officials and civil society groups
partner with the United States on a range of issues to promote our
common values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; these
partnerships build on the cooperative tradition of prior
initiatives, such as the Global Cooperation and Training Framework
(GCTF), which advances Taiwanese leadership in such arenas as
democratization, human rights, women's empowerment, and public
health; and
WHEREAS, Since 1988, Texas and Taiwan have maintained a
sister-state relationship, and they enjoy particularly close
economic ties; Taiwan is Texas' 10th largest overseas market, and
Texas exported over $7.69 billion in goods and services to Taiwan in
2020; the establishment of a Texas Trade and Investment Office in
Taiwan could enhance the participation of small- and medium-sized
enterprises in trade and investment and advance sister-state ties
between Texas and Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, Texas and the United States have benefited
immeasurably through decades of unwavering friendship with Taiwan,
and the wider world is sure to reap tremendous rewards as Taiwan
works to enhance its presence in the international community; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby express its support for the strengthening of our partnership
with Taiwan and for the expansion of Taiwan's role on the global
stage; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives and Senate
hereby:
(a) express support for a bilateral trade agreement between
the United States and Taiwan;
(b) express support for Taiwan's meaningful participation
in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, the World
Health Assembly, the International Civil Aviation Organization,
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and
other organizations;
(c) express support for a Texas Trade and Investment Office
in Taiwan; and
(d) celebrate the 44th anniversary of the enactment of the
Taiwan Relations Act and the 35th anniversary of the sister-state
relationship between the State of Texas and Taiwan; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston as an
expression of the sentiment of the Texas House of Representatives
and Senate.