Title: Taiwan

Summary: Expresses appreciation for sister state relationship & bilateral economic & cultural ties between Florida & Taiwan.

Full Text:
WHEREAS, April 10, 2018, marks the 39th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which codified in law the basis for continued commercial and cultural relations between the United States and Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, and WHEREAS, Taiwan has been a member of the United States Visa Waiver Program since November 1, 2012, and Taiwan passport holders are eligible to participate in the United States' Global Entry Program as of November 1, 2017, becoming the third location in East Asia and the 12th worldwide to hold this privilege, reflecting the cooperation between the United States and Taiwan and making travel for business and tourism between the two more convenient, and WHEREAS, Taiwan is one of the United States' strongest allies in East Asia, and WHEREAS, Taiwan participates in international organizations, including its bid for observer status in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), its involvement with the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and its membership status in both the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), and WHEREAS, Florida maintains and values its sister state relationship with Taiwan, and WHEREAS, Taiwan is the United States' tenth largest trading partner and Florida's seventh largest export market in Asia, and WHEREAS, in addition to the sister state relations that exist between the State of Florida and Taiwan, sister city relations are maintained between Miami-Dade County and New Taipei City (formerly Taipei County), the Port of Miami and Port Kaohsiung, Orlando and Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City with Fort Lauderdale, the City of Miami, and Pensacola, NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Florida: That the House of Representatives expresses its appreciation for the sister state relationship between Florida and Taiwan. HR 8013 2018 hr8013 FL OR I DA HO US EO FR EP RE SE NT A TI VE SBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami and the Office of the Governor of the State of Florida as a tangible token of the sentiments expressed herein.