Florida Senate - 2018 (NP) SR 398
By Senator Bracy
11-00650-18 2018398__
1 Senate Resolution
2 A resolution recognizing the relationship between and
3 shared interests of the people of Taiwan and the
4 United States and supporting these interests, as well
5 as future opportunities for international trade
6 between the two nations.
7
8 WHEREAS, the people of Taiwan, officially known as the
9 Republic of China, elected their first female president, Dr.
10 Tsai Ing-wen, on January 16, 2016, by popular vote, and in June
11 2016 Florida welcomed her as she visited the state, further
12 enhancing the bilateral relationship between the United States
13 and Taiwan and strengthening the common value of democracy it
14 shares with the United States, and
15 WHEREAS, Taiwan is one of the allies of the United States
16 in East Asia, and the United States continues to provide
17 defensive weaponry, including sales of naval vessels, equipment,
18 and munitions to Taiwan, as well as delivery of 60 Sikorsky
19 UH60M Black Hawk helicopters, and
20 WHEREAS, most of the post-sale training on these Black Hawk
21 helicopters was conducted in Florida, which created jobs in this
22 state and helped Taiwan maintain its defense capabilities, and
23 WHEREAS, these transactions are consistent with the
24 security and economic interests of the United States in East and
25 Southeast Asia, and
26 WHEREAS, Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international
27 organizations, including its bid for observer status in the
28 International Criminal Police Organization, known as INTERPOL,
29 is significant, as is its participation in the International
30 Civil Aviation Organization, the World Health Organization, the
31 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the World Trade
32 Organization, and
33 WHEREAS, as the world’s 18th largest trading economy and
34 the 11th freest economy, Taiwan is devoted to bringing its
35 regulations into alignment with United Nations conventions,
36 including the organization’s Sustainable Development Goals, and
37 has become a model of democratization for developing countries,
38 and
39 WHEREAS, while the people of Taiwan have consistently
40 supported meaningful participation and involvement in the United
41 Nations in the pursuit of world peace, they have been treated
42 unjustly for political reasons, and
43 WHEREAS, given Taiwan’s support for the humanitarian
44 principles and goals of the United Nations, the voices of the
45 people of Taiwan deserve to be heard by the organization and the
46 international community, in keeping with Taiwan’s affirmation of
47 faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of
48 each person, and in the equal rights of men and women in all
49 nations, and
50 WHEREAS, Taiwan has been a member of the United States’
51 Visa Waiver Program since November 1, 2012, reflecting the
52 cooperation between the United States and Taiwan and making two
53 way travel for business and tourism more convenient, and
54 WHEREAS, with respect to Taiwan’s contributions in the
55 global marketplace in both traditional and innovative
56 industries, support for continued bilateral dialogue under the
57 Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, including efforts to
58 explore the possibility for a future bilateral investment
59 agreement and a free trade agreement with the United States,
60 will globalize Taiwan’s economy and eliminate barriers to trade,
61 thus solidifying Taiwan’s status as a robust and trustworthy
62 partner of the United States for trade and security in East
63 Asia, and
64 WHEREAS, the State of Florida maintains and values its
65 sister state relationship with Taiwan, which in 2016 was
66 Florida’s seventh largest export market in Asia, and
67 WHEREAS, in addition to the sister state relationship that
68 exists between the State of Florida and Taiwan, sister city
69 relationships are maintained between Miami-Dade County and New
70 Taipei City, formerly Taipei County; Orlando and Tainan City;
71 Fort Lauderdale, the City of Miami, and Pensacola, respectively,
72 and Kaohsiung City; and between PortMiami and Port Kaohsiung,
73 and
74 WHEREAS, April 10, 2018, marks the 39th anniversary of the
75 enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which codified in law the
76 basis for continued commercial and cultural relations between
77 the United States and Taiwan, NOW, THEREFORE,
78
79 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
80
81 That the Florida Senate recognizes the relationship between
82 and shared interests of the people of Taiwan and the United
83 States and supports these interests, as well as future
84 opportunities for international trade between the two nations.
85 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with
86 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to the Taipei
87 Economic and Cultural Office in Miami and the Executive Office
88 of the Governor as a tangible token of the sentiments of the
89 Florida Senate.