1 SJR108
2 213474-2
3 By Senator Marsh
4 RFD:
5 First Read: 22-APR-21
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8 COMMENDING TAIWAN FOR ITS RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED
9 STATES AND THE STATE OF ALABAMA.
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11 WHEREAS, Taiwan and the United States are
12 longstanding allies who both deeply cherish the common values
13 of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law; and
14 WHEREAS, the United States Congress passed the
15 Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, the Taiwan Travel Act in 2018,
16 and the TAIPEI Act in 2019; and, in 2020, the United States
17 and Taiwan have enjoyed a high point in bilateral relations,
18 including through the highest-ranking official visits in 40
19 years and through the establishment of the U.S.-Taiwan
20 Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue and the U.S.-Taiwan
21 Educational Initiative, expanding economic exchanges and
22 promoting academic freedom in English and Mandarin language
23 instruction; and
24 WHEREAS, Taiwan is a beacon of democracy and freedom
25 in the Asia-Pacific, despite continuous threats from the
26 authoritarian neighbor of China, which has encroached on
27 Taiwan's security by flying in Taiwan's air defense
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1 identification zone and across the median line of the Taiwan
2 Strait, as well as degraded the freedom of Hong Kong through
3 the 2020 Hong Kong National Security Law; therefore, Taiwan's
4 democracy needs to be supported by like-minded allies, such as
5 this representative body; and
6 WHEREAS, in 2020, Taiwan has achieved immense
7 success combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and contributed
8 extensive resources to helping the international community,
9 including through the global donation of tens of millions of
10 surgical and N95 masks, hundreds of thousands of isolation
11 gowns, and tens of thousands of forehead thermometers; and
12 including the donation of 90,000 surgical and 20,000 N95 masks
13 to the State of Alabama; and
14 WHEREAS, beginning in January 2021, Taiwan will
15 significantly ease import restrictions on United States pork
16 and beef products, significantly growing the State of Alabama
17 and the U.S.'s agricultural exports to Taiwan and paving the
18 way for deeper economic cooperation; and
19 WHEREAS, Taiwan is the United States' ninth-largest
20 trading partner; and the United States is Taiwan's
21 second-largest trading partner. Taiwan supports an estimated
22 330,000 jobs in the United States; and Taiwan is the 23rd
23 export market of Alabama, Alabama's 14th largest import
24 country, investing $327 million in Alabama, and supporting an
25 estimated 5,401 jobs in the State of Alabama; and
26 WHEREAS, Alabama welcomes all opportunities for an
27 even closer economic partnership, such as the signing of a
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1 U.S.-Taiwan Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and the
2 establishment of its trade office in Taiwan, to enhance the
3 special sister-state relations since 1984 with Taiwan, to
4 encourage further business, educational, cultural, and
5 people-to-people exchanges between the citizens of both
6 nations, and to recover better together in the post-pandemic
7 economic recovery efforts; now therefore,
8 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH
9 HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That the members of this body
10 commend and support Taiwan's democracy, freedom, and the
11 nation's meaningful participation in international
12 organizations and cooperation such as the World Health
13 Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization,
14 INTERPOL, the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, and
15 the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
16 Partnership (CPTPP); support the signing of a U.S.-Taiwan
17 bilateral trade agreement and an educational memorandum of
18 understanding with Alabama promoting education through
19 Mandarin and English study exchanges; and support a reciprocal
20 driver license agreement between Taiwan and Alabama.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House
22 of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an
23 appropriate copy of this resolution to the Governor, Secretary
24 of State, and Mr. Elliot Yi-lung Wang, Director-General of the
25 Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta.
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