Senate Resolution 4 - Introduced SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 4 BY BEALL and KAPUCIAN A Resolution congratulating the Republic of China 1 (Taiwan) on its inclusion in the United States Visa 2 Waiver Program; supporting Taiwan’s efforts to 3 secure entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership; and 4 reaffirming support for Taiwan’s participation in 5 the International Civil Aviation Organization, and 6 for strengthening sister-state ties between Iowa and 7 Taiwan. 8 WHEREAS, the Republic of China (Taiwan), marking 9 its centennial in 2011 and entering into its second 10 century in 2012 as the world’s 19th-largest economy, 11 has achieved economic and social stability, has been 12 lauded in the last two decades as a beacon of democracy 13 for Asia, has dramatically improved its record on human 14 rights, and has taken great steps forward to enter the 15 world arena as a trusted partner; and 16 WHEREAS, Taiwan gained membership in the United 17 States Visa Waiver Program, and is the 37th country 18 to receive visa-free travel privileges to the United 19 States and only the 5th Asian country with visa-free 20 status, behind Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and 21 Brunei; and as a result, more Taiwanese will travel to 22 the United States for business and tourism, increasing 23 the spending of tourist dollars and facilitating 24 business, trade, and investment in the United States, 25 thus contributing to the national and local economies 26 and strengthening bilateral ties with the individual 27 states, including Iowa; and 28 -1- LSB 1572SS (1) 85 jr/rj 1/ 3

S.R. 4 WHEREAS, Taiwan in 2011 ranks as the United States’ 1 10th-largest trading partner in the world, serving as 2 the United States’ 15th-largest export market overall, 3 and the 6th-largest market for U.S. agricultural goods, 4 as well as the 14th-largest market for Iowa goods, 5 worth $125.1 million in 2011, an increase of 18 percent 6 above Iowa’s exports to Taiwan in 2010; and 7 WHEREAS, Taiwan’s imports of goods continue to 8 contribute to Iowa’s economy since the September 2011 9 visit of the Taiwan Agricultural Goodwill Mission to 10 the United States, which included a delegation visit 11 to Des Moines and signing of Letters of Intent for 12 Iowa-grown corn and soybeans through 2013; and 13 WHEREAS, Taiwan, seeking greater regional 14 integration in the Asia-Pacific region and promotion 15 of bilateral investment and trade relations with the 16 United States, welcomes the opportunity presented 17 by the United States’ announcement at the 2011 18 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting 19 of the United States’ intent to not only join the 20 Trans-Pacific Partnership, the proposed 21st-century 21 trade agreement between the United States and eight 22 other Asia-Pacific Rim countries, but to expand the 23 membership in the future to include other countries, 24 such as Taiwan; and 25 WHEREAS, aviation safety has become a major global 26 concern since 2001, and even though Taiwan is a key 27 air transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region, with 28 more than one million flights passing through the 29 Taipei Flight Information Region, and with one of 30 -2- LSB 1572SS (1) 85 jr/rj 2/ 3

S.R. 4 the world’s largest airport cargo volumes passing 1 through the Taoyuan International Airport, yet Taiwan 2 is not a member of the International Civil Aviation 3 Organization; NOW THEREFORE, 4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 5 congratulates the Republic of China (Taiwan) on gaining 6 inclusion in the United States Visa Waiver Program; 7 supports Taiwan’s efforts to secure entry into the 8 Trans-Pacific Partnership, along with the United States 9 and other friendly Asia-Pacific Rim countries, and 10 to promote bilateral investment and trade relations 11 with the United States; reaffirms its support for the 12 participation of Taiwan in the International Civil 13 Aviation Organization; and supports strengthening 14 Taiwan-Iowa sister-state relations, friendship, and 15 exchanges; and 16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of 17 the Senate is hereby directed to send a copy of this 18 Resolution to United States Secretary of State John 19 Kerry; Secretary General Raymond Benjamin of the 20 International Civil Aviation Organization; President 21 Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of China (Taiwan); and 22 the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago, 23 Illinois. 24 -3- LSB 1572SS (1) 85 jr/rj 3/ 3