Senate Resolution 19 - Introduced SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 19 BY DOTZLER , HART , KAPUCIAN , SCHNEIDER , and SODDERS A Resolution reaffirming Iowa’s commitment to its 1 relationship with Taiwan and supporting Taiwan’s 2 efforts to participate in the international 3 community. 4 WHEREAS, the relationship between the Republic 5 of China (Taiwan) and the United States is marked 6 by strong bilateral trade, educational and cultural 7 exchange, and tourism; and 8 WHEREAS, the State of Iowa’s ties with Taiwan are 9 demonstrated by its sister-state and sister-city 10 relationships; and 11 WHEREAS, Taiwan shares with the United States 12 and the State of Iowa the common values of freedom, 13 democracy, human rights, and rule of law; and 14 WHEREAS, in 2013 the United States ranked as 15 Taiwan’s 3rd largest trading partner and Taiwan ranked 16 as the United States’ 12th largest trading partner, 17 with bilateral trade of $63.6 billion; and 18 WHEREAS, Taiwan has consistently imported between 19 $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually worth of United 20 States farm products, and is the 7th largest market for 21 United States agricultural products and the world’s 2nd 22 largest buyer per-capita of United States agricultural 23 goods; and 24 WHEREAS, Taiwan and the State of Iowa have enjoyed 25 a long and mutually beneficial trade relationship and 26 anticipate continuing trade growth, with Taiwan ranking 27 as Iowa’s 16th largest export destination in 2013; and 28 -1- LSB 2602XS (7) 86 rn/rj 1/ 4
S.R. 19 WHEREAS, $97.4 million worth of goods from the State 1 of Iowa were shipped to Taiwan in 2013 and comprised, 2 in order, food manufactures, miscellaneous manufactured 3 commodities, chemicals, machinery, paper, and computer 4 and electronic products; and 5 WHEREAS, the State of Iowa hosted a Taiwan 6 Agricultural Goodwill Mission delegation in 2013, 7 reaffirming the cordial relations between Iowa 8 and Taiwan and the ongoing mutual trade benefits 9 derived from Taiwan’s reliable imports of Iowa farm 10 products, which in 2013 totaled $63.5 million for food 11 manufactures and agricultural products combined; and 12 WHEREAS, Taiwan, seeking to contribute to greater 13 regional integration in the Asia-Pacific region and 14 promotion of bilateral investment and trade relations 15 with the United States, applauded the United States’ 16 announcement of its intent to join the Trans-Pacific 17 Partnership, the proposed 21st century trade agreement 18 between the United States and 11 other Asia-Pacific Rim 19 countries; and 20 WHEREAS, Taiwan should be included in regional 21 economic integration based on its status as the world’s 22 19th largest economy, 20th largest exporter, and 18th 23 largest importer, according to a 2013 World Trade 24 Organization report; and also due to its status as an 25 important economic power, a dynamic market economy, and 26 leading supplier of high-tech products; and 27 WHEREAS, Taiwan ranks as the 17th most free economy 28 in the world according to the 2014 Index of Economic 29 Freedom, and the 5th most free economy among 42 30 -2- LSB 2602XS (7) 86 rn/rj 2/ 4
S.R. 19 economies in the Asia-Pacific region ranked only behind 1 Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand; and 2 WHEREAS, according to the Swiss-based International 3 Institute for Management Development’s 2014 report, 4 Taiwan ranks as the 13th most competitive economy 5 worldwide and the 4th most competitive economy in the 6 Asian Pacific; and 7 WHEREAS, negotiations for a bilateral investment 8 agreement between Taiwan and the United States are an 9 important step toward further strengthening bilateral 10 trade and paving the way for entering into a free trade 11 agreement between our two nations, thereby increasing 12 the State of Iowa’s exports to Taiwan and creating 13 bilateral investment and technical collaboration 14 through tariff reduction and other trade facilitation 15 measures; and 16 WHEREAS, Taiwan has been and can continue to be a 17 valuable and constructive partner in the international 18 response to the adverse effects of climate change and 19 severe weather emergencies as evidenced by its speedy 20 and generous response to aid the victims of Typhoon 21 Haiyan; NOW THEREFORE, 22 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 23 reaffirms its commitment to the strong and deepening 24 sister-city and sister-state relationships between 25 Taiwan and the State of Iowa, its support for Taiwan’s 26 efforts to secure the signing of a bilateral investment 27 agreement with the United States, and its support for 28 Taiwan’s appropriate participation in international 29 organizations that impact Taiwan’s health, safety, and 30 -3- LSB 2602XS (7) 86 rn/rj 3/ 4
S.R. 19 well-being; and 1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of 2 the Senate is hereby directed to send a copy of this 3 Resolution to United States Secretary of State John 4 F. Kerry, President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of 5 China (Taiwan), Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate 7 Change, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in 8 Chicago, Illinois. 9 -4- LSB 2602XS (7) 86 rn/rj 4/ 4