Title: Taiwan

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

Full Text:
WHEREAS, April 10, 2019, marks the 40th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which codified in law the basis for continued commercial and cultural relations between the people of the United States and Taiwan,and WHEREAS, Taiwan is a strong ally to the United States 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 Assembly (WHA), 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 Worl dTrade Organization (WTO), and, in total, WHEREAS, Taiwan has been a member of the United States Visa Waiver Program since November 1, 2012, reflecting the cooperation between the United States and Taiwan and making two way travel for business and tourism more convenient, and WHEREAS, Taiwan's contributions in the global market of both traditional and innovative industries and participation in the Trade and Investment Fr amework Agreement (TIFA) has solidified Taiwan as a robust partner to the United States for trade and security in East Asia, and WHEREAS, Taiwan is the United States' eleventh largest trading partner and Florida's seventh largest export market in Asia, an dWHEREAS, 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, Orl ando 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: HR 8011 2019 hr8011 FL OR I DA HO US EO FR EP RE SE NT A TI VE SThat the House of Representatives expresses its appreciation for the sister state relationship between Florida and Taiwan. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be presented to President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami and the Office of the Governor of th eState of Florida as a tangible token of the sentiments expressed herein.