House Resolution 10

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) UPON THE HISTORIC ELECTION OF DR. TSAI ING-WEN AS THE COUNTRY'S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT AND RECOGNIZING THE CONTINUED DIPLOMATIC AND BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS SHARED WITH THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, in what will historically be marked as the dawn of a new era, the people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) cast their sacred vote on Saturday, January 16, 2016, to elect Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, leader of Taiwan's opposition faction, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), as its first female President in the country's origin, and the first female leader of a country of the Chinese speaking world; and

WHEREAS, the results of the election marks the Republic's third transition of political power since the occurrence of the first popular vote for President held in 1996, as well as a transition of Taiwan's national legislative majority for the first time since the Taiwanese government was formed in 1949, drawing the eye of international attention in a resounding exclamation that democracy works best when left to its own devices; and

WHEREAS, having grown up in Fenggang, a village in southern Taiwan, before moving to Taipei as a teenager, President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, first studied at National Taiwan University where she received a bachelor of laws degree, and furthered her pursuit of legal studies with a Juris Doctorate from Cornell University School of Law, and subsequent thereto earned a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics; and

WHEREAS, the President-elect won 56 percent of the vote compared to 31 percent for her closest political opponent, Eric Chu of the Kuomintang Party (KMT), the incumbent party which held the presidency the past eight years, evidencing her climatic rise in the DPP since her initial affiliation in 2004, followed by being tapped in 2008 as the party's chairwoman, and her first, yet unsuccessful bid for the presidency to the incumbent Ma Ying-jeou in 2012; and

WHEREAS, President-elect Tsai was able to secure the paramount victory by deviating from traditional DPP politics, building alliances with smaller parties and opening the party to a broader cross section of Taiwan to include more activists, academics and Taiwanese who have lived and worked abroad; and

WHEREAS, the election of President-elect Tsai Ing-wen promises to foster the sister-state relationship shared between Taiwan and the State of Mississippi as sovereign states since 1983, built upon unwavering bonds that have proven beneficial and rewarding for both governments and their citizens, ranking as the United States' 10th largest trading partner and 5th largest market for agricultural products of the United States, and the United States ranking as Taiwan's 2nd largest trading partner; and

WHEREAS, the legacy of a storied career as a legal professional and a politician, precedes President-elect Tsai's transition into Office of President, having always worn the hat of a public servant, her former roles in the Taiwanese republic consist of: Vice Premier from 2006-2007; Legislator-at-large of DPP; Senior Advisor to the President; Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council; Senior Advisor to the National Security Council; member of the Fair Trade Commission; Chief Legal Advisor on International Economic Organizations for the Ministry on Economic Affairs; and professorships at Soochow and National Cheng-Chi Universities; and

WHEREAS, upon her inauguration in May, President-elect Tsai will set her priority on the implementation of tenets of her platform, addressing the weak economy while helping to establish Taiwan's distinct identity from mainland China; and

WHEREAS, as the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Taiwan-Mississippi Sister-State agreement approaches, the citizens of the State of Mississippi delightedly embrace many more years of continued cooperation and friendship between the Magnolia State and Taiwan under the leadership of the Tsai administration; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to acknowledge the historical significance of President-elect Dr. Tsai Ing-wen election to the Office of President, as well as to promote the viable relationships with industrious and democratic nations, such as the relationship between the State of Mississippi and the Republic of China (Taiwan):

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the relationship between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the State of Mississippi and extend our congratulations to President-elect Dr. Tsai Ing-wen for her election as the first female President of Taiwan, and encourage the future growth and friendship between the great state and illustrious nation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to President-elect Dr. Tsai Ing-wen and to the members of the Capital Press Corps.