Senate Resolution 21 - Introduced SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 21 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 2624SS (1) 86 rn/rj 1/ 4

S.R. 21 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, should be included in regional 16 economic integration based on its status as the world’s 17 19th largest economy, 20th largest exporter, and 18th 18 largest importer, according to a 2013 World Trade 19 Organization report; and also due to its status as an 20 important economic power, a dynamic market economy, and 21 leading supplier of high-tech products; and 22 WHEREAS, Taiwan ranks as the 17th most free economy 23 in the world according to the 2014 Index of Economic 24 Freedom, and the 5th most free economy among 42 25 economies in the Asia-Pacific region ranked only behind 26 Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand; and 27 WHEREAS, according to the Swiss-based International 28 Institute for Management Development’s 2014 report, 29 Taiwan ranks as the 13th most competitive economy 30 -2- LSB 2624SS (1) 86 rn/rj 2/ 4

S.R. 21 worldwide and the 4th most competitive economy in the 1 Asian Pacific; and 2 WHEREAS, negotiations for a bilateral investment 3 agreement between Taiwan and the United States are an 4 important step toward further strengthening bilateral 5 trade and paving the way for entering into a free trade 6 agreement between our two nations, thereby increasing 7 the State of Iowa’s exports to Taiwan and creating 8 bilateral investment and technical collaboration 9 through tariff reduction and other trade facilitation 10 measures; and 11 WHEREAS, Taiwan has been and can continue to be a 12 valuable and constructive partner in the international 13 response to the adverse effects of climate change and 14 severe weather emergencies as evidenced by its speedy 15 and generous response to aid the victims of Typhoon 16 Haiyan; NOW THEREFORE, 17 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 18 reaffirms its commitment to the strong and deepening 19 sister-city and sister-state relationships between 20 Taiwan and the State of Iowa, its support for Taiwan’s 21 efforts to secure the signing of a bilateral investment 22 agreement with the United States, and its support for 23 Taiwan’s appropriate participation in international 24 organizations that impact Taiwan’s health, safety, and 25 well-being; and 26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of 27 the Senate is hereby directed to send a copy of this 28 Resolution to United States Secretary of State John 29 F. Kerry, President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of 30 -3- LSB 2624SS (1) 86 rn/rj 3/ 4