2021 -- H 6199

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LC002639

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

REAFFIRMING THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN RHODE ISLAND AND TAIWAN, AND

SUPPORTING ENHANCED BILATERAL TRADE RELATIONS AND TAIWAN’S

INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION

     Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Kennedy, Edwards, Kazarian,
Fellela, Donovan, and Carson

     Date Introduced: April 06, 2021

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, The United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) share a vibrant

bilateral relationship marked by a mutually beneficial partnership. Since 1979, the Taiwan

Relations Act has provided a strong foundation for sustaining substantive relations between the

United States and Taiwan, including Taiwan and Rhode Island through continued exchanges,

engagement, and cooperation rooted in our common values of freedom, democracy, the rule of

law, and a free market economy, thereby assuring a bright future in our bilateral relationship; and

     WHEREAS, President Tsai Ing-wen has worked tirelessly to safeguard democracy and

way of life in Taiwan, ensure the prosperity of Taiwan’s 24 million people, and expressed

commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region; and

     WHEREAS, The United States Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, and State, in a

formal letter sent to the Governors of all 50 states dated September 30, 2019, stated that

"expanding relations with Taiwan in areas such as trade, education, investment, and tourism is

fully compatible with and supports U.S. policy and can be beneficial to your state"; and

     WHEREAS, President Tsai has expressed Taiwan’s desire to reach a Bilateral Trade

Agreement (BTA) with the United States and the United States Senate unanimously passing the

“Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act (TAIPEI) of 2019”

(S.1678) on October 28, 2019, affirming that the "United States should emerge in bilateral trade

negotiations with Taiwan"; and

     WHEREAS, The Taiwan Government has donated 135,000 surgical masks and 5,000

N95 masks to the State of Rhode Island to assist in the fight in the fight against Covid-19,

demonstrating that Taiwan is a responsible stakeholder and shall be included in the World Health

Organization (WHO) and the World Health Assembly (WHA); and

     WHEREAS, The United States ranks as Taiwan’s 2nd largest trading partner, and Taiwan

is the 10th largest trading partner of the United States, with bilateral trade in goods and services

amounting to approximately $90 billion in 2020, which helped create or support approximately

373, 288 United States jobs; and

     WHEREAS, New England exported more than $1 billion in goods to Taiwan in which

Rhode Island exported $24 million in goods, making Taiwan the 17th largest export market of

Rhode Island in the world and the 6th largest export market in Asia (2018); and

     WHEREAS, Taiwan and the United States seek to increase trade and investment through

bilateral agreements, and discussions of possibly opening a joint trade office in Taipei, to include

Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont that will further enhance

bilateral trade opportunities and Rhode Island exports to Taiwan; and

     WHEREAS, Being a key transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan’s inclusion in

international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), International Criminal

Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is

imperative for the best interest and safety of the international community. In addition, Taiwan’s

participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is

necessary in the global effort to combat climate change; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

supports a stronger United States-Taiwan relationship under the Biden Administration, including

the signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), and seeks to further strengthen the Rhode

Island-Taiwan partnership, and encourages Rhode Island State Government to further explore

ways to strengthen and promote bilateral exchange between the State of Rhode Island and Taiwan

in all areas, including signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taiwan regarding

bilateral economic and trade exchange and cooperation; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby supports Taiwan’s participation in international

organizations and agreements, including WHO, WHA, INTERPOL, UNFCCC and ICAO; and be

it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Joseph R. Biden, President of the

United States, the Rhode Island Delegation to the United States Congress, the Honorable Daniel

McKee, Governor of the State of Rhode Island, President Tsai Ing-wen, Republic of China

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(Taiwan), and Director-General Jonathan Sun, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston.

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