STAND. COM. REP. NO. -24
Honolulu, Hawaii
2024
MAR27
RE: H.C.R. No. 96
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to
which was referred H.C.R. No. 96 entitled:
“HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A CLOSER PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND TAIWAN IN VALUES AND COMMON
GOALS, THE RELATIONSHIPS AND EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE STATE OF
HAWAII AND TAIWAN, TAIWAN’S INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION, AND
THE SIGNING OF A UNITED STATES—TAIWAN BILATERAL TRADE
AGREEMENT,”
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Endorse the participation of Taiwan as an observer in
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change, International Civil Aviation Organization, World
Health Organization, and International Criminal Police
Organization;
(2) Support further progress on the United States-Taiwan
Initiative on 21st-Century Trade and the early
conclusion of negotiations, and encourage the United
States Trade Representative to commence negotiations to
enter into a bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan; and
2024-2544 HCR96 HSCR HMSO
iii 1 ii I.
 STAND. CON. REP. NO. -24
Page 2
(3) Commemorate the State’s thirty-first anniversary of
sister-state relations with Taiwan and the forty-fifth
anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and
Tourism; and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu.
Your Committee finds that Taiwan and the United States share
common values, such as the ideal of democracy, human rights, the
rule of law, and a free market economy. Your Committee further
finds that Mandarin is designated as a critical language in the
United States, exemplified by the establishment of the United
States-Taiwan Education Initiative in 2020 to strengthen
cooperation on international education and highlight Taiwan’s
ability to provide Mandarin language instruction. The University
of Hawaii and the National Tsing Hua University also share a
partnership to enhance their exchange programs, granting the
opportunity to improve Mandarin language skills for a number of
Hawaii residents. Given the already positive relationships
between the United States and Taiwan and Hawaii and Taiwan, your
Committee believes in supporting further progress in these two
relationships and endorses greater inclusion of Taiwan in various
international organizations.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs that is
attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent
and purpose of H.C.R. No. 96 and recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Culture, Arts, &
International Affairs,
S
ADRIAN K. TA , Chair
2024-2544 HCR96 HSCR HMSO
 State of Hawaii
House of Representatives
The Thirty-second Legislature
)44CJ2, 1’f —
Record of Votes of the Committee on Culture, Arts & International Affairs
Bill/Resolution No.: Committee Referral: Date:
)2 /
0 The committee is reconsidering its previous decision on the measure.
The recommendation is to: Pass, unamended (as is) 0 Pass, with amendments (HD) C Hold
C Pass short form bill with HD to recommit for future public hearing (recommit)
CAl Members Ayes Ayes (WR) Nays Excused
1. TAM, Adrian K. (C)
2. MARTINEZ, Rose (VC) —
3. GARRETT, Andrew Takuya
-
4. KAPELA, Jeanne
—‘
5. MATAYOSHI, Scot Z.
ZL
6. SAYAMA, Jackson D.
7. ALCOS III, David
TOTAL (7)
The recommendation is: Adopted Not Adopted
If)oint referral, did not support recommendation.
comrnittee5uRys)
Vice Chairs or designee’s signature:
Distribution: Original (White) — Committee ‘ Duplicate (Yellow) — Chief Clerks Office Duplicate (Pink) — HMSO