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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 137 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 137

  Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free trade agreement 
                 between the United States and Taiwan.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 1, 2007

Ms. Berkley (for herself, Mr. Ramstad, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Chabot, and Mr. 
 Rohrabacher) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free trade agreement 
                 between the United States and Taiwan.

Whereas for more than 50 years a close bilateral relationship, codified in the 
        Taiwan Relations Act, has existed between the United States and Taiwan, 
        which has been of enormous economic, cultural, and strategic advantage 
        to both countries;
Whereas on January 1, 2002, Taiwan was admitted into the World Trade 
        Organization, resulting in reduced Taiwanese tariffs and increased 
        market access for foreign investment;
Whereas a 2002 United States International Trade Commission report found that 
        exports by some sectors of the United States economy would increase 
        significantly in percentage terms (motor vehicles, rice, fish, and other 
        food imports to Taiwan would increase by more than 100 percent) if the 
        United States entered into a free trade agreement with Taiwan;
Whereas on November 16, 2005, President Bush affirmed the strong ties between 
        the United States and Taiwan, stating that Taiwan is a ``free and 
        democratic Chinese society'', and that economic reforms have made it 
        ``one of the world's most important trading partners'';
Whereas bilateral trade between Taiwan and the United States was $57,000,000,000 
        in 2005 and is estimated to have reached $60,000,000,000 in 2006, 
        resulting in the United States ranking as Taiwan's second-largest export 
        market, and Taiwan ranking as the 8th-largest export market of the 
        United States;
Whereas Taiwan is the fifth-largest market for United States agricultural 
        products and, in terms of per capita consumption, Taiwan is the world's 
        largest consumer of United States agricultural products, the third-
        largest buyer of United States beef and corn, the fifth-largest buyer of 
        United States soybeans, and the eighth-largest buyer of United States 
        wheat;
Whereas Taiwan has become the world's largest producer of information technology 
        hardware, and ranks first in the production of notebook computers, 
        monitors, motherboards, and scanners;
Whereas the United States is an important supplier of electrical machinery and 
        appliances, transport equipment, scientific instruments, and chemical 
        products to Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan is widely recognized as a leader in the promotion of labor rights 
        and environmental protection, and continues to make advances in these 
        areas;
Whereas the United States and Taiwan have already entered into more than 150 
        bilateral agreements;
Whereas Taiwan, as a member of the World Trade Organization, is entitled to the 
        same right as any other member to enter into free trade agreements with 
        other countries;
Whereas Taiwan, as a democracy and free market economy, shares with the United 
        States principles and values that provide a strong foundation for open, 
        fair, and mutually beneficial trade relations; and
Whereas maintaining and strengthening a robust trade relationship with Taiwan is 
        of economic significance to the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That it is the sense of the Congress that the United States should 
increase trade opportunities with Taiwan by launching negotiations 
without delay to enter into a free trade agreement with Taiwan.
                                 <all>
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