Title: Taiwan

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

Full Text:
WHEREAS, April 10, 2017, marks the 38th 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 Tai wan, 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, reflecting the cooperation between the United States and Taiwan and making travel for business and touri sm 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 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 sixth largest export market in Asia, and WHEREAS, in addi tion 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 Cit y, and Fort Lauderdale, the City of Miami, and Pensacola and Kaohsiung City, NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Florida: HR 8049 2017 hr8049 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 re lationship between Florida and Taiwan. BE 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 expr essed herein.