February 19, 2024 - Introduced by Senators Testin, Jacque, Roys and Larson, cosponsored by Representatives Kitchens, August, Plumer, Tranel, Billings, McGuire, Allen, Armstrong, Behnke, Binsfeld, Callahan, Dittrich, Edming, Jacobson, Krug, Magnafici, O’Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Penterman, Rettinger, Schmidt, Schutt, Swearingen, Tittl and Wittke. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.
SJR124,,22Relating to: reaffirming Wisconsin’s commitment to the strengthening and deepening of the sister ties between the State of Wisconsin and Taiwan; reaffirming Wisconsin’s support of the Taiwan Relations Act; supporting Taiwan’s signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement with the United States; and continuing support for increasing Taiwan’s international profile. SJR124,,33Whereas, the State of Wisconsin established in 1986 the sister-state relationship with Taiwan Province, Republic of China (Taiwan), and Wisconsin and Taiwan have enjoyed strong bilateral trade, educational and cultural exchanges, and tourism; and SJR124,,44Whereas, Taiwan shares the same values of freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, peace, and prosperity with the United States and the State of Wisconsin; and SJR124,,55Whereas, in 2022, the United States ranked as Taiwan’s second-largest trading partner, Taiwan ranked as the ninth-largest trading partner of the United States, and bilateral trade reached an estimated $160 billion; and SJR124,,66Whereas, Taiwan imported nearly $4.4 billion worth of U.S. farm products in 2022, making it the seventh-largest market for U.S. agricultural products overall, the fourth-largest market on a per capita basis, and the seventh-largest market for U.S. soybeans and corn; and SJR124,,77Whereas, due to its high quality produce, the U.S. remains one of Taiwan’s largest sources of agricultural products, supplying more than one-fifth of the country’s major agricultural imports; and SJR124,,88Whereas, Taiwan and the State of Wisconsin have enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the prospect of future growth, and Taiwan was Wisconsin’s sixth-largest export market in Asia in 2022, with $307 million worth of Wisconsin goods exported to Taiwan; and SJR124,,99Whereas, to strengthen the Taiwan-Wisconsin bilateral economic relationship, it is essential to support Wisconsin businesses to enhance their economic engagement with Taiwan based on the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (P.L. 96-8, 22 U.S.C. 3301); section 4, subsection (b), of the act stipulates that “[w]henever the laws of the United States refer or relate to foreign countries, nations, states, governments, or similar entities, such terms shall include and such laws shall apply with respect to Taiwan”; and SJR124,,1010Whereas, negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement between Taiwan and the United States is an important step toward further strengthening bilateral trade between our countries, thereby increasing Wisconsin’s exports to Taiwan and creating bilateral investment and technical collaboration through tariff reduction and other trade facilitation measures; and SJR124,,1111Whereas, Taiwan has undertaken a policy of “steadfast diplomacy” in its international relations and Taiwan is capable of, and willing to, fulfill its responsibilities and to collaborate with the world to face challenges such as humanitarian aid and disease control; now, therefore, be it SJR124,,1212Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the Wisconsin Legislature reaffirms its commitment to the strengthening and deepening of the sister ties between the State of Wisconsin and Taiwan; and, be it further SJR124,,1313Resolved, That the Wisconsin Legislature reaffirms its support for the Taiwan Relations Act; and, be it further SJR124,,1414Resolved, That Wisconsin endorses Taiwan’s efforts to secure the signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement with the United States, and reiterates its support for a closer economic and trade partnership between the State of Wisconsin and Taiwan; and, be it further SJR124,,1515Resolved, That Wisconsin continues to support Taiwan’s appropriate participation in international organizations that impact the health, safety, and well-being of the people of Taiwan and supports Taiwan’s aspiration to make more contributions in international societies; and, be it further SJR124,,1616Resolved, That the chief clerk of the assembly is hereby directed to transmit copies of this resolution to the members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago.
