2022 -- H 8186

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LC005834

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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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 Kennedy, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Edwards, Kazarian,
Filippi, McNamara, Ackerman, Barros, and Solomon

     Date Introduced: April 28, 2022

     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, supported by our common

values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and a free market economy, and our countries now

enjoy robust and resilient diplomatic relations; and

     WHEREAS, The United States ranks as Taiwan's second-largest trading partner, and

Taiwan is the eighth-largest trading partner of the United States, with U.S. trade in goods with

Taiwan totaling and estimated $114.1 billion in 2021; and

     WHEREAS, President Tsai Ing-wen has expressed Taiwan's desire to reach a Bilateral

Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States, which will certainly increase trade and

exchanges between Rhode Island and Taiwan; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island and Taiwan have enjoyed a long history of vibrant bilateral

relations, including trade, as evidenced by Rhode Island having exported $39 million in goods in

2021, and Rhode Island having imported $56 million in goods from Taiwan in 2021; and

     WHEREAS, The Taiwan Government desires to establish a Memorandum of

Understanding with Rhode Island to increase educational exchange between Taiwan and Rhode

Island; and

     WHEREAS, The Taiwan Government donated 135,000 surgical masks and 5,000 N95

masks to the State of Rhode Island to assist in the fight against COVID-19 and Omicron,

demonstrating that Taiwan values the relationship with Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, Taiwan is a key air transport hub in Asia, therefore, its inclusion in

international organizations and agreements such as the World Health Organization (WHO),

World Health Assembly (WHA), International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL),

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change (UNFCCC) is in the best interest of the international community; now, therefore

be it

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

encourages the Rhode Island State Government to work closely with Taiwan to strengthen and

promote bilateral trade between Rhode Island and Taiwan, and supports Taiwan's participation in

international organizations and agreements, including the WHO, WHA, INTERPOL, UNFCCC,

and ICAO, and seeks to strengthen U.S.-Taiwan and Rhode Island-Taiwan trade and investment

relations by encouraging Rhode Island and the Economic Development Corporation to consider

opening a trade office in Taiwan to further strengthen and promote trade relations with Taiwan

and the Asia-Pacific region; and be it further

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

transmit duly certified copies 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

J. McKee, Governor, State of Rhode Island; the Honorable Tsai Ing-wen, President, Republic of

China (Taiwan); and Director-General Jonathan Sun of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office

in Boston.

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LC005834

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