Bill Text: HI SCR2 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Endorsing 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.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2024-05-31 - Certified copies of resolution sent, 05-31-24 [SCR2 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-SCR2-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
2 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
URGING THIS BODY 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; SUPPORTING THE FURTHER PROGRESS ON THE UNITED STATES-TAIWAN INITIATIVE ON 21ST-CENTURY TRADE, A SPEEDY CONCLUSION TO THIS NEGOTIATION, AND ENCOURAGING THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE TO COMMENCE NEGOTIATIONS TO ENTER INTO A BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT WITH TAIWAN; AND SUPPORTING THE STATE OF HAWAII'S THIRTY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF SISTER-STATE RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN AND COMMEMORATING THE FORTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT.
WHEREAS, the United States and the Republic of China, known commonly in the United States as Taiwan, are bonded by a shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and a free market economy; 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 Congress of the United States passed the landmark Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, which is the foundation of United States-Taiwan relations as it promotes a close bilateral relationship that advances mutual security and commercial interests between the United States and Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, preserving 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 this endeavor; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan is the ninth largest trade partner of the United States, with bilateral trade totaling $135,500,000,000 in 2022; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan supports the United States-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, as it will help bolster the economic potential of the region by defining shared trade objectives among partners and by addressing standards for technology, supply chains, the digital economy and clean energy; and
WHEREAS, the United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st- Century Trade intends 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 for a Bilateral Trade Agreement, Bilateral Investment Agreement, and an Avoidance of Double Taxation agreement; and
WHEREAS, since establishing a sister-state relationship in 1993, Hawaii and Taiwan have developed an enduring and mutually beneficial friendship exemplified by the Taiwan government's generous $500,000 contribution to Hawaii in the aftermath of the disastrous Maui wildfire in 2023; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan is Hawaii's tenth largest import partner, and its ninth largest export partner, as Taiwan imported $54,000,000 worth of goods, with award-winning Kona coffee beans being the most popular, and exported $13,000,000 worth of goods in 2023; and
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii Office in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu have been working together to promote substantial cooperation and exchanges in the areas of tourism, agriculture, culture, education, and trade between Hawaii and Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, the United States-Taiwan Education Initiative was launched in 2020 to strengthen cooperation in international education and to highlight Taiwan's capacity to provide Mandarin language instruction; and
WHEREAS, given Mandarin's designation as a critical language, as well as 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 the University of Hawaii and the National Tsing Hua University; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan has established the Gift Scholarship at the University of Hawaii to sponsor Language Flagship for students interested in Mandarin immersion programs in Taiwan, and the University of Hawaii and the National Taiwan Ocean University have signed a memorandum of understanding on Academic Cooperation and an Agreement of Cooperative 3+2 Master Programs, which will further improve the bilateral exchange of education; and
WHEREAS, the United States has assisted Taiwan in participating in the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the 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-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, the House of Representatives concurring, that this body is urged to join 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 is urged to support the further progress on the United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, a speedy conclusion to this negotiation, and encourage the United States Trade Representative to commence negotiations to enter into a bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body is urged to support the State of Hawaii's thirty-first anniversary of sister-state relations with Taiwan and commemorates the forty-fifth anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act; 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.
Hawaii; Taiwan; United States; Trade; International Relations; ICAO; UNFCCC; WHO; INTERPOL
