Florida Senate - 2023 (NP) SR 944 By Senator Rodriguez 40-02053-23 2023944__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution expressing appreciation for the sister 3 state relationship and bilateral economic and cultural 4 ties between the State of Florida and Taiwan. 5 6 WHEREAS, April 10, 2023, marks the 44th anniversary of the 7 enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which codified in law the 8 basis for continued commercial and cultural relations between 9 the people of the United States and Taiwan, and 10 WHEREAS, since November 1, 2012, Taiwan has been a member 11 of the United States Visa Waiver Program, which makes two-way 12 travel for business and tourism more convenient, reflecting the 13 cooperation between the United States and Taiwan, and 14 WHEREAS, the launch of FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 on June 25, 15 2019, a joint United States-Taiwan collaborative space mission 16 of a constellation of six satellites designed to enhance the 17 accuracy of atmospheric weather prediction, has demonstrated the 18 mutual benefit born of the relations between this country and 19 Taiwan, and 20 WHEREAS, the first female president of Taiwan, Dr. Tsai 21 Ing-wen, elected in 2016 and reelected for a second term on 22 January 11, 2020, was welcomed to this state in June 2016, as 23 were the Speaker of Tainan City Council, Kuo Hsin-liang, and his 24 delegation the following month, further enhancing the bilateral 25 relationship between Taiwan and this state, as well as 26 strengthening the common values that Taiwan shares with this 27 country, and 28 WHEREAS, Taiwan participates in international 29 organizations, including its bid for observer status in the 30 International Criminal Police Organization; its involvement with 31 the World Health Assembly, the International Civil Aviation 32 Organization, and the United Nations Framework Convention on 33 Climate Change; and its membership status in both the Asia 34 Pacific Economic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization, 35 and participates, observes, and cooperates with more than 50 36 international organizations, and 37 WHEREAS, as of October 2022, Taiwan was the United States’ 38 10th-largest trading partner and, between 2019 and 2021, was the 39 State of Florida’s 8th-largest export destination and its 5th 40 largest import source market in Asia, and 41 WHEREAS, the economic bonds between the United States and 42 Taiwan continue to flourish, and Taiwan’s inclusion in the Indo 43 Pacific Economic Framework during 2023 and forging of a United 44 States-Taiwan Bilateral Trade Agreement would serve as the 45 foundation for deepening the already significant trade 46 relationship between reliable and like-minded partners, and 47 WHEREAS, this year marks the 31st anniversary of the 48 enactment of the sister state relationship shared between the 49 State of Florida and Taiwan, and 50 WHEREAS, several sister city relationships exist between 51 Florida and Taiwan, such as between Miami-Dade County and New 52 Taipei City, formerly Taipei County; the Port of Miami and the 53 Port of Kaohsiung; the City of Orlando and Tainan City; the City 54 of Fort Lauderdale, the City of Miami, and the City of Pensacola 55 and Kaohsiung City; the City of Sunny Isles Beach and Hengchun 56 Township; the City of Doral and the Xizhi District of New Taipei 57 City; the City of Kissimmee with Hualien City and Miaoli City; 58 the City of North Miami Beach and the Pingzhen District of 59 Taoyuan City; and the City of Tavares and the Xindian District 60 of New Taipei City, and 61 WHEREAS, to assist the State of Florida in its fight 62 against the virus causing COVID-19, Taiwan donated to the state 63 and its local governments more than 420,000 medical masks and 64 made a monetary donation of $300,000 for rescue, recovery, and 65 restoration efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, 66 demonstrating Taiwan’s commitment to helping its international 67 partners in need, NOW, THEREFORE, 68 69 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 70 71 That the Senate expresses its appreciation for the sister 72 state relationship between the State of Florida and Taiwan. 73 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with 74 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to President Tsai 75 Ing-wen through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami 76 and to the Executive Office of the Governor as a tangible token 77 of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.