SR 17: 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.

SENATE 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, 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 United States-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 Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States; President Pro Tempore 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.

Report Title: 

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

SENATE 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, 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 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.

Report Title: 

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

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1604

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 17

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.R. No. 17 entitled:

"SENATE 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,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to endorse Taiwan's international participation, support the signing of a United States-Taiwan Bilateral Trade Agreement, and commemorate the relationships and exchanges between the State of Hawaii and Taiwan.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Taipei Economic and Cultural Office; and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the United States and Taiwan are both dedicated to promoting democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law, and a free market economy.  Your Committee further finds that Hawaii and Taiwan have an established sister-state relationship since 1993, that has developed an enduring and mutually beneficial friendship which has dramatically strengthened trade agreements.  Your Committee concludes that because of the valuable contributions of Taiwan on a state, federal, and global scale, it is vital to encourage further international participation, advance mutual trade priorities based on shared values, and promote innovative and inclusive economic growth with Taiwan.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 17, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 17, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,