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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 342
Title: Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free
trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
Sponsor:
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] (introduced 2/15/2006)
Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free trade
agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
Whereas
for more than 50 years a close relationship has existed between
the United States and Taiwan, which has been of major economic,
cultural, and strategic advantage to both countries;
Whereas
Taiwan is a democratic Nation with respect for the rule of law
and human rights and has a fully functional free-market economy;
Whereas
these characteristics allow the United States and Taiwan to
maintain a strong and vibrant bilateral economic relationship;
Whereas
on January 1, 2002, Taiwan was officially admitted into the
World Trade Organization, and this has reduced Taiwanese tariffs
and has begun opening market access to foreign investment;
Whereas
on August 6, 2002, the President signed into law the Trade Act
of 2002, which provides for an expedited procedure for
congressional consideration of international trade agreements;
Whereas
the United States and Taiwan are members of the World Trade
Organization and of its predecessor, the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade, both of which guarantee the right of
countries to enter into free trade agreements with other
countries;
Whereas
the United States is Taiwan’s largest trading partner and is a
net exporter of agricultural products to Taiwan;
Whereas
in 2005 Taiwan was one of the top 10 largest markets for
agricultural products of the United States in terms of value;
Whereas
Taiwan functions as the gateway to Asia, has the world’s
third-largest foreign exchange reserves, and is the world’s
third-largest exporter of information technology-related
products;
Whereas
Taiwan ranks fourth in global growth competitiveness among the
countries surveyed by the World Economic Forum in 2004, while
the United States ranks second;
Whereas
the United States has concluded free trade agreements with
Australia, Jordan, Morocco, Panama, and Singapore, as well as
with Central American countries;
Whereas a
free trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan would
provide recognition of Taiwan’s status as a free and democratic
Nation and would further enhance Taiwan’s democracy;
Whereas
Taiwan ranks as the eighth-largest trading partner with the
United States, which is higher than the aforementioned countries
with which the United States has concluded free trade
agreements;
Whereas
in 2003, former United States Trade Representative Robert
Zoellick spelled out 13 criteria for selecting potential
partners with which the United States would enter free trade
agreements, criteria which Taiwan fulfills considerably better
than countries with which the United States has already signed
free trade agreements;
Whereas
the Committee on Finance of the Senate and members of the
Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives have
written to the International Trade Commission expressing their
interest in a free trade agreement between the United States and
Taiwan, on January 17 and June 10, 2002, respectively;
Whereas a
report released by the International Trade Commission in October
2002 estimated that United States exports to Taiwan would
increase by 16 percent, or roughly $3,400,000,000 annually, when
a free trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan is
concluded; and
Whereas a
report released by the Institute for International Economics in
2004 predicted that such exports from the United States to
Taiwan would experience an annual increase of $6,600,000,000:
Now, therefore , be it
Resolved
by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it
is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) the
President should make the conclusion of a free trade agreement
between the United States and Taiwan one of the top priorities
of the United States when initiating bilateral free trade
agreements with foreign countries; and
(2) the
President should foster the expansion of trade opportunities
with Taiwan by instructing the United States Trade
Representative to expedite negotiations on a free trade
agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
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H. CON. RES.
346
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 16, 2006
Mr. RAMSTAD (for himself and Mr. JEFFERSON) submitted the
following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Ways and
Means
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free trade
agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
Whereas for more than 50 years a close relationship has existed
between the United States and Taiwan, which has been of enormous
economic, cultural, and strategic advantage to both countries;
Whereas on November 16, 2005, President Bush noted the strong
ties between the United States and Taiwan, saying Taiwan is a
`free and democratic Chinese society', and that economic reforms
have made it `one of the world's most important trading
partners';
Whereas on January 1, 2002, Taiwan was officially admitted into
the World Trade Organization under the name of the `Separate
Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu' (TPKM),
and this accession has reduced Taiwanese tariffs and has
increased market access to foreign investment;
Whereas on August 6, 2002, the President signed into law the
Trade Act of 2002, which by request was extended until June 30,
2007, providing for an expedited procedure for congressional
consideration of international trade agreements;
Whereas a 2002 report issued by the United States International
Trade Commission found some sectors of the United States economy
would increase significantly in percentage terms (motor
vehicles, rice, fish, and other food imports to Taiwan would
increase by more than 100 percent) if the United States entered
into a free trade agreement with
Taiwan;
Whereas the United States is Taiwan's third-largest trading
partner, and Taiwan is the eighth-largest trading partner of the
United States;
Whereas
Taiwan is the sixth-largest market for United States
agricultural product while, in terms of per capita consumption,
Taiwan is the world's second-largest consumer, the third-largest
buyer for United States beef and corn, the fifth-largest buyer
for United States soybeans, and the eighth-largest buyer for
United States wheat;
Whereas Taiwan has become the world's largest producer of
information technology hardware, and ranks first in the
production of notebook computers, monitors, motherboards, and
scanners;
Whereas the United States is an important supplier of electrical
machinery and appliances, transport equipment, scientific
instruments, and chemical products to Taiwan;
Whereas Taiwan purchases nearly the same amount of goods and
services from the United States as all countries currently
negotiating free trade agreements combined; and
Whereas the United States and Taiwan have already signed more
than 140 bilateral agreements: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
That it is the sense of the Congress that the United States
should increase trade opportunities with Taiwan by launching
negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with Taiwan.
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