On May 30, 2023, Connecticut’s General Assembly adopted House Joint Resolution No.10 Commemorating the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Connecticut-Taiwan Sister-State relationship. The resolution was co-sponsored by Representative Kevin Ryan (139th District) and Representative Aundre Bumgardner (41st District).
The resolution reiterated Connecticut’s support for a closer economic and trade partnership between the U.S. and Taiwan, mentioning Taiwan’s desire to sign a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (ADTA) with the United States
The US-Taiwan Bilateral Trade Agreement Coalition welcomes this House Joint Resolution and Connecticut’s support for a Bilateral Trade Agreement with Taiwan.
Resolved by this Assembly:
WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut and the Republic of China (Taiwan) have enjoyed a long history of friendship and have maintained a fruitful sister-state relationship encompassing cultural, educational and economic exchanges since 1999; and
WHEREAS, the state of Connecticut exported 235 million dollars’ worth of products to Taiwan in 2021, making Taiwan one of the most important foreign markets for Connecticut, and strengthening a robust bilateral trade relationship as well as fostering a continued collaboration between their respective industries; and
WHEREAS, as a full-fledged democracy and robust free-market economy, Taiwan shares with the United States the principles and values that provide a strong foundation for mutually beneficial relations; and
WHEREAS, the United States Congress passed the landmark Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) in 1979 to sustain a close bilateral relationship as well as to advance mutual security and commercial interests between the United States and Taiwan, and the TRA, together with the Six Assurances of President Ronald Reagan in 1982, have served as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations and have helped to preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait; and
WHEREAS, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is crucial to the maintenance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and Taiwan is an indispensable partner in safeguarding peace and stability in the region; and
WHEREAS, the United States-Taiwan Education Initiative was launched in 2020 to strengthen cooperation on international education and highlight Taiwan’s ability to provide instruction in Mandarin, and given Mandarin’s designation as a critical language for maintaining national security by the United States, the state of Connecticut welcomes opportunities to advance educational exchanges with Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan has signed mutual driver’s license recognition pacts with 36 states of the United States since 2013, and more than 16,000 Taiwanese and American citizens have taken advantage of such pacts, and were Taiwan and the state of Connecticut to enter into a driver’s license reciprocity agreement with each other, such an agreement would help increase the mobility of international students, businessmen, and academics from both sides; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan’s inclusion in the United States Visa Waiver Program and Global Entry, and the reciprocal travel facilitation enjoyed by United States citizens when visiting Taiwan, allows Taiwan and the United States to develop closer relations and witness rapid growth in all areas of bilateral development; and
WHEREAS, the United States has assisted Taiwan in participating in the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and it will continue to support Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations and other international organizations; and
WHEREAS, the United States and Taiwan enjoy longstanding and extensive economic ties, including 111.4 billion dollars in bilateral trade in 2021, making Taiwan the eighth largest trading partner of the United States; and
WHEREAS, in order to strengthen the bilateral trade relations with the United States, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has expressed its desire to sign a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (ADTA) with the United States.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved,
That the Connecticut General Assembly pause in its deliberations to recognize the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Connecticut-Taiwan Sister-State Relationship, and reiterate its support for a closer economic and trade partnership between the United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan); and
Be It Further Resolved
That the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives cause a copy of this resolution to be sent to President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China (Taiwan) through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York.
Source: Connecticut General Assembly HJ No.10