IV 

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 


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•HCON 137 IH 

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; 


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•HCON 137 IH 

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 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the 

3 United States should increase trade opportunities with 

4 Taiwan by launching negotiations without delay to enter 

5 into a free trade agreement with Taiwan. 

Æ 


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