IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 271 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States 
Trade Representative should commence negotiations to enter into a bilat-
eral trade agreement with Taiwan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 6, 2017 
Mr. YOHO (for himself, Mr. ROYCE of California, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. 
DIAZ-BALART, and Mr. HARPER) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the United States Trade Representative should com-
mence negotiations to enter into a bilateral trade agree-
ment with Taiwan. 
Whereas the United States and Taiwan share a close bilateral 
relationship, codified in the Taiwan Relations Act (22 
U.S.C. 3301 et seq.), which has been of enormous eco-
nomic, cultural, and strategic advantage to both the 
United States and Taiwan; 
Whereas the United States-Taiwan relationship is critical for 
the promotion of prosperity, democratic values, and re-
gional security throughout the Asia-Pacific region; 
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Whereas Taiwan is a member of the World Trade Organiza-
tion, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping, 
and the Asian Development Bank, and is one of the larg-
est and most important economies in the Asia-Pacific re-
gion; 
Whereas in 1994, the United States and Taiwan signed a 
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) 
that has served as the foundation for bilateral trade pro-
motion, trade dispute resolution, and investment coopera-
tion between the two economies; 
Whereas in 2016, Taiwan was the United States tenth-larg-
est 
trading 
partner 
in 
goods 
with 
more 
than 
$65,000,000,000 in goods traded between the two, and in 
addition the United States was the leading country for 
foreign direct investment in Taiwan; 
Whereas in 2015, Taiwan was the United States seventh- 
largest 
market 
for 
agricultural 
products 
with 
$3,200,000,000 in United States exports to Taiwan, an 
amount that could increase more rapidly under a bilateral 
trade agreement; 
Whereas a bilateral trade agreement between the United 
States and Taiwan would provide a means to continue fa-
cilitating the growth of this valued trading partnership 
while addressing certain outstanding issues affecting 
United States exports, allowing both the United States 
and Taiwan to continue to invest and share in each oth-
er’s economic success; 
Whereas a bilateral trade agreement between the United 
States and Taiwan could reduce regulatory barriers that 
currently affect United States agricultural products and 
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various United States services, while respecting each 
partner’s intellectual property rights; 
Whereas the United States welcomed efforts by Taiwan au-
thorities to follow through on commitments related to in-
tellectual property rights made in 2015 under the TIFA; 
Whereas Taiwan plays a central role in the global electronics 
industry, producing more than 90 percent of the world’s 
motherboards and notebook computers, and is the largest 
consumer of semiconductor manufacturing equipment 
and has the largest semiconductor foundry manufac-
turing economy; 
Whereas people-to-people relations between the United States 
and Taiwan continue to grow, with travel for business 
and pleasure to the United States from Taiwan increas-
ing 50 percent since Taiwan’s designation for participa-
tion in the United States visa waiver program in October 
2012; 
Whereas Taiwan currently has the seventh-highest number of 
citizens who are studying in the United States; 
Whereas in 2015, the United States and Taiwan signed a 
memorandum of understanding to establish the Global 
Cooperation and Training Framework, which seeks to ex-
pand already robust cooperation to address global chal-
lenges in third countries, in areas such as international 
humanitarian assistance, public health, environmental 
protection, energy, technology, education, and regional 
development; 
Whereas Taiwan, as a democracy and free market economy, 
shares the United States principles and values, providing 
a strong foundation for open, fair, and mutually bene-
ficial trade relations; and 
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Whereas a bilateral trade agreement between the United 
States and Taiwan would indicate that Taiwan has com-
mitted itself to maintaining high standards in inter-
national trade, which would signify that Taiwan is a 
sound economic partner and is eager to deepen engage-
ment in the global economy: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes that the United States and Tai-
wan share significant and continuing opportunities 
in our bilateral trade relationship; 
(2) recognizes that a high-standard bilateral 
trade agreement between the United States and Tai-
wan would help to develop such opportunities, reduce 
barriers, deepen economic cooperation, and facilitate 
mutual benefits; and 
(3) encourages the United States Trade Rep-
resentative to commence negotiations to enter into a 
bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan. 
Æ 
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