Florida Senate - 2013                (Corrected Copy)    SM 1432
       
       
       
       By Senator Flores
       
       
       
       
       37-01203A-13                                          20131432__
    1                           Senate Memorial                         
    2         A memorial to the Congress of the United States, urging
    3  Congress to offer its continued support of the relationship and
    4  shared interests between the people of Taiwan and the United
    5  States.
    6  
    7         WHEREAS, Florida maintains and values its relationship with
    8  Taiwan, and
    9         WHEREAS, April 10, 2013, will mark the 34th anniversary of
   10  the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which encourages
   11  continued commercial and cultural relations between the people
   12  of the United States and the people of Taiwan, and
   13         WHEREAS, the support for Taiwan’s continued economic growth
   14  and prosperity is important to the interests of the United
   15  States, particularly since Taiwan was the eleventh largest two
   16  way trade partner of the United States and the seventh largest
   17  export market for United States food and agricultural products
   18  in 2012 and is currently the sixth largest source of
   19  international students traveling to the United States, and
   20         WHEREAS, Taiwan is one of the allies of the United States
   21  in the Western Pacific region, and Governor Rick Scott has
   22  encouraged President Barack Obama to provide defensive weaponry,
   23  such as F-16 C/D aircraft, to Taiwan, which will create job
   24  opportunities in Florida and help Taiwan maintain its defense
   25  capabilities in the region, and
   26         WHEREAS, the campaign of the East China Sea Peace
   27  Initiative proposed by President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan, which
   28  recognizes the conflicting territorial viewpoints of the
   29  interested parties, calls on all parties concerned to resolve
   30  their regional disputes peacefully based on the United Nations
   31  Charter and relevant provisions of international law, which is
   32  consistent with the security and economic interests of the
   33  United States in East Asia, and
   34         WHEREAS, the Legislature encourages and supports Taiwan’s
   35  meaningful participation in international organizations, noting
   36  that Taiwan participates in, observes, or cooperates with over
   37  50 international organizations and is a member of both the Asia
   38  Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the World Trade
   39  Organization, NOW, THEREFORE,
   40  
   41  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   42  
   43         That the Legislature expresses its support for the meeting
   44  of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Joint Council in
   45  Taipei between the United States and Taiwan and encourages
   46  future opportunities of international trade developments with
   47  Taiwan to further strengthen the substantive relationship
   48  between Florida and Taiwan.
   49         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature welcomes the
   50  initiative made by the Taiwan Government in maintaining the
   51  peace of the East China Sea.
   52         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
   53  dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
   54  President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
   55  United States House of Representatives, and to each member of
   56  the Florida delegation to the United States Congress.