IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 346 
Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free trade agreement between 
the United States and Taiwan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2006 
Mr. RAMSTAD (for himself and Mr. JEFFERSON) submitted the following con-
current 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 relationship has ex-
isted between the United States and Taiwan, which has 
been of enormous economic, cultural, and strategic ad-
vantage to both countries; 
Whereas on November 16, 2005, President Bush noted the 
strong ties between the United States and Taiwan, say-
ing 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 on January 1, 2002, Taiwan was officially admitted 
into the World Trade Organization under the name of 
the ‘‘Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu,
•HCON 346 IH 
Kinmen and Matsu’’ (TPKM), and this accession has re-
duced Taiwanese tariffs and has increased market access 
to foreign investment; 
Whereas on August 6, 2002, the President signed into law 
the Trade Act of 2002, which by request was extended 
until June 30, 2007, providing for an expedited proce-
dure for congressional consideration of international 
trade agreements; 
Whereas a 2002 report issued by the United States Inter-
national Trade Commission found 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 the United States is Taiwan’s third-largest trading 
partner, and Taiwan is the eighth-largest trading partner 
of the United States; 
Whereas Taiwan is the sixth-largest market for United States 
agricultural product while, in terms of per capita con-
sumption, Taiwan is the world’s second-largest consumer, 
the third-largest buyer for United States beef and corn, 
the fifth-largest buyer for United States soybeans, and 
the eighth-largest buyer for 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, mother-
boards, and scanners; 
Whereas the United States is an important supplier of elec-
trical machinery and appliances, transport equipment, 
scientific instruments, and chemical products to Taiwan;
•HCON 346 IH 
Whereas Taiwan purchases nearly the same amount of goods 
and services from the United States as all countries cur-
rently negotiating free trade agreements combined; and 
Whereas the United States and Taiwan have already signed 
more than 140 bilateral agreements: 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 to enter into a free 
trade agreement with Taiwan. 
Æ