Full Text of HR0665 102nd General Assembly
HR0665 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois established a sister-state | 3 | | relationship with Taiwan, the Republic of China (R.O.C.) in | 4 | | 1992, and Illinois and Taiwan have enjoyed strong bilateral | 5 | | trade, educational and cultural exchanges, and tourism; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives established | 7 | | the Illinois Statehouse Taiwan Friendship Caucus on May 19, | 8 | | 2021, the first of its kind in the nation with bi-partisan | 9 | | support, which was commemorated by House Resolution No. 372 on | 10 | | June 1, 2021; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan shares the same values of freedom, | 12 | | democracy, human rights, the rule of law, peace, and | 13 | | prosperity with the United States and the State of Illinois; | 14 | | and | 15 | | WHEREAS, The United States ranks as Taiwan's | 16 | | second-largest trading partner; Taiwan is the eighth-largest | 17 | | trading partner of the United States, and bilateral trade | 18 | | reached more than US$ 856 billion in 2021; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan and the State of Illinois have enjoyed a | 20 | | long and mutually beneficial relationship with the prospect of | 21 | | future growth, and Taiwan was Illinois's seventh-largest |
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| 1 | | export market in Asia in 2020 with US$ 673 million worth of | 2 | | Illinois goods exported to Taiwan; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, To strengthen the Taiwan-Illinois bilateral | 4 | | economic relationship, it is essential to support Illinois | 5 | | businesses to enhance their economic engagement with Taiwan | 6 | | based on the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA, Public Law 96-8, | 7 | | 22 USC 3301); as Article 4 Section b of the TRA stipulates that | 8 | | "wherever the laws of the United States refer or relate to | 9 | | foreign countries, nations, states, governments, or similar | 10 | | entities, such terms shall include and such laws shall apply | 11 | | with respect to Taiwan"; it is legitimate for Illinois | 12 | | businesses to refer to Taiwan as Taiwan in conducting their | 13 | | business ties with Taiwan; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement | 15 | | (BTA) between Taiwan and the United States are an important | 16 | | step toward further strengthening bilateral trade between our | 17 | | countries, thereby increasing Illinois's exports to Taiwan and | 18 | | creating bilateral investment and technical collaboration | 19 | | through tariff reduction and other trade facilitation | 20 | | measures; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan has undertaken a policy of "steadfast | 22 | | diplomacy" in its international relations; Taiwan is capable | 23 | | of, and willing to, fulfill its responsibilities and to |
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| 1 | | collaborate with the world to deal with the challenges of | 2 | | humanitarian aid, disease control, and so forth; therefore, be | 3 | | it
| 4 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 5 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 6 | | we reaffirm our commitment to the strengthening and deepening | 7 | | of the sister ties between the State of Illinois and Taiwan, | 8 | | R.O.C.; and be it further | 9 | | RESOLVED, That we reaffirm our support for the Taiwan | 10 | | Relations Act and support Illinois businesses referring to | 11 | | Taiwan, R.O.C. as Taiwan; and be it further | 12 | | RESOLVED, That we endorse Taiwan's efforts to secure the | 13 | | signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United | 14 | | States and reiterate our support for a closer economic and | 15 | | trade partnership between the State of Illinois and Taiwan; | 16 | | and be it further
| 17 | | RESOLVED, That we continue to support Taiwan's meaningful | 18 | | participation in international organizations that impact the | 19 | | health, safety, and well-being of the people of Taiwan and | 20 | | support Taiwan's aspiration to make more contributions in | 21 | | international societies.
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