THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	31
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

ENDORSING TAIWAN'S INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION, SUPPORTING THE SIGNING OF A UNITED STATES-TAIWAN BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT, AND COMMEMORATING THE RELATIONSHIPS AND EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE STATE OF HAWAII AND TAIWAN.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the United States and Taiwan are bonded by a shared commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law, and a free market economy; and

 

     WHEREAS, to further support and reinforce trading partnerships, the United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade has reached an agreement to develop concrete methods to deepen their economic and trade relationship, advance mutual trade priorities based on shared values, and promote innovative and inclusive economic growth for workers and businesses, including through new trade agreements; and

 

     WHEREAS, in order to strengthen bilateral trade, the government of Taiwan has expressed its desire to sign a Bilateral Trade Agreement, Bilateral Investment Agreement, and Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement with the United States; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii and Taiwan have an established sister-state relationship since 1993, that has developed an enduring and mutually beneficiary friendship exemplified by the Taiwan government's generous $500,000 contribution to Hawaii in the aftermath of the 2023 Maui wildfires; and

 

     WHEREAS, in addition to the strong reciprocal trading partnership, the State of Hawaii Office in Taipei and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu have been working together to promote substantial cooperation and exchanges in areas of tourism, agriculture, culture, and education; 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 Mandarin language instruction; and

 

     WHEREAS, given Mandarin's designation as a critical language and Taiwan's plans to be bilingual by 2030, schools and institutions of higher education in both Hawaii and Taiwan are encouraged to enhance their exchanges, as exemplified by the partnership between University of Hawaii and the National Tsing Hua University; and

 

     WHEREAS, for years, Taiwan has actively engaged in climate change research, supported anti-terrorism cooperation, and worked with its partners to tackle transnational crime; and

 

     WHEREAS, Taiwan's meaningful participation in bodies such as the World Health Organization, International Criminal Police Organization, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and International Civil Aviation Organization would make international mechanisms truly global; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United States has assisted Taiwan in participating in the World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, and International Criminal Police Organization and will continue to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in these and other international organizations; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the House of Representatives concurring, that this body joins the United States to 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; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body supports the first agreement under the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, and encourages the United States Trade Representative to commence negotiations to enter in to a bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body commemorates the State of Hawaii's thirty-second anniversary of sister-state relations with Taiwan and supports mutual beneficiary exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States; President of the United States Senate; Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; United States Secretary of State; members of Hawaii's Congressional delegation; Governor; and Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

Report Title: 

Hawaii; Taiwan; United States; International Relations; International Participation