Phoenix, AZ—On March 1st, both Chambers of the Arizona State Legislature unanimously adopted a Senate Concurrent Resolution, S.C.R. 1017, supporting trade between the United States and Taiwan. The bill was read by Senate President Pro Tempore Debbie Lesko and House Speaker Pro Tempore Thomas R. Shope on Feb. 28th and March 1st respectively, and passed by both chambers subsequently.
Most notably, the resolution indicates four important issues: 1) In 2015, Taiwan is Arizona’s tenth largest export market and the United States’ 14th largest goods export market; the US has concluded or is in the process of negotiating bilateral investment agreements (BIA) with nine of its top ten trading partners, leaving Taiwan as the sole exception;
2) Following the precedent of the President of the United States signing into law H.R. 1151 in 2013—an act supporting Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly—,the Arizona State Legislature has passed resolutions in support of Taiwan’s participation in various international organizations in 2014 2015, and 2016. The Arizona State Legislature was also a leader in advocating for Taiwan’s international participation with a supporting resolution in 2012, adding momentum for the federal bill in 2013;
3) The Arizona State Legislature is proud to join more than 38 states in passing resolutions supporting both a US-Taiwan BIA and Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. Arizona maintains a strong economic and cultural relationship with Taiwan since establishing sister-state relations in 1980; and
4) Arizona acknowledges the strength and vitality of Taiwan’s democracy, with its third peaceful transfer of power via democratic elections, and the election of its first female president, with the election of Dr. Tsai Ing-wen and Dr. Chen Chien-jen as the country’s next President and Vice President, respectively, in January 2016.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 1017 is once again a friendly gesture from the Arizona legislative body to Taiwan. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles expresses its deepest appreciation to the Arizona Legislature for its legislative action, and hopes to continue to foster and strengthen economic and cultural partnerships in the upcoming year.
