Full Text of HR1115 99th General Assembly
HR1115 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is proud of the sister-state | 3 | | relationship it has enjoyed with the Republic of China (Taiwan) | 4 | | since 1992, which has been consolidated by strong bilateral | 5 | | trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges, and further boosted by | 6 | | the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and a | 7 | | commitment to the rule of law; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan is the world's 19th-largest economy, the | 9 | | United States' 9th-largest trading partner, and Illinois' | 10 | | 19th-largest export market; Taiwan has consistently imported | 11 | | between US$2.5-$3 billion annually worth of United States farm | 12 | | products and ranks as one of the world's top consumers | 13 | | per-capita of United States agricultural goods; the Illinois | 14 | | economy has greatly benefited from Taiwan's reliable imports of | 15 | | Illinois farm products, which in 2015 were worth US$275.7 | 16 | | million for agricultural products and US$43.8 million for food | 17 | | manufactures, together comprising at least 50.4% of Illinois' | 18 | | total exports to Taiwan last year; in 2015, Illinois ranked | 19 | | eighth among all U.S. states in the value of its overall | 20 | | exports to Taiwan, worth US$634 million; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, On January 16, 2016, Taiwan held its sixth direct | 22 | | presidential election, once again demonstrating the maturity | 23 | | and strength of its democratic system, which has long been |
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| 1 | | commended as a beacon of democracy for Chinese-based societies; | 2 | | and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan ranks as the world's 14th-freest economy, | 4 | | the fifth-freest economy in the Asia-Pacific region, the | 5 | | 11th-most competitive economy worldwide, and the third-most | 6 | | competitive economy in the Asia-Pacific region; Taiwan should | 7 | | be entitled to contribute to greater regional economic | 8 | | integration in the Asia-Pacific region in order to further | 9 | | promote bilateral investment and trade relations with its Asian | 10 | | neighbors, as well as with the United States; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Negotiations for a bilateral investment agreement | 12 | | between Taiwan and the United States are an important step | 13 | | toward further strengthening bilateral trade and paving the way | 14 | | for entering into a free trade agreement between our two | 15 | | countries, thereby increasing Illinois' exports to Taiwan and | 16 | | creating bilateral investment and technical collaboration | 17 | | through tariff reduction and other trade facilitation | 18 | | measures; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, Taiwan, as a full-fledged democracy that shares | 20 | | the same values of freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule | 21 | | of law, peace, and prosperity with the United States and the | 22 | | State of Illinois, should be allowed to participate | 23 | | appropriately in international organizations in order to |
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| 1 | | advance the welfare of the 23 million people of Taiwan and | 2 | | further contribute Taiwan's unique experience and expertise to | 3 | | the international community; therefore, be it
| 4 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 5 | | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we | 6 | | commend and support Taiwan's mature and vibrant democracy and | 7 | | celebrate the 24th anniversary of sister-state relations and | 8 | | the deepening sister-city relationships between Taiwan and the | 9 | | State of Illinois; and be it further
| 10 | | RESOLVED, That we reaffirm our continued support for | 11 | | Taiwan's efforts to contribute to greater regional integration | 12 | | through economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and | 13 | | further promote bilateral investment and trade relations with | 14 | | the United States; and be it further | 15 | | RESOLVED, That we reaffirm our continued endorsement of the | 16 | | signing of
a bilateral investment agreement between Taiwan and | 17 | | the United States
to promote Taiwan's bilateral investment and | 18 | | trade relations with the
United States and to facilitate its | 19 | | economic and other ties with Illinois
and the individual | 20 | | states; and be it further | 21 | | RESOLVED, That we reaffirm our support for Taiwan's | 22 | | participation in international organizations that impact the |
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| 1 | | health, safety, and well-being of Taiwanese citizens and that | 2 | | contribute to the global community; and be it further | 3 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 4 | | presented to United States Secretary of State John F. Kerry, | 5 | | the members of the Illinois congressional delegation, and the | 6 | | Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago.
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