Florida Senate - 2013 (NP) SR 1890 By Senator Flores 37-04566-13 20131890__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing the relationship and shared 3 interests between the people of Taiwan and the United 4 States. 5 6 WHEREAS, Florida maintains and values its relationship with 7 Taiwan, and 8 WHEREAS, April 10, 2013, marked the 34th anniversary of the 9 enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which encourages 10 continued commercial and cultural relations between the people 11 of the United States and the people of Taiwan, and 12 WHEREAS, support for Taiwan’s continued economic growth and 13 prosperity is important to the interests of the United States, 14 particularly since Taiwan was the eleventh largest two-way trade 15 partner of the United States and the seventh largest export 16 market for United States food and agricultural products in 2012 17 and is currently the sixth largest source of international 18 students traveling to the United States, and 19 WHEREAS, Taiwan is one of the allies of the United States 20 in the Western Pacific region, and Governor Rick Scott has 21 encouraged President Barack Obama to provide defensive weaponry, 22 such as F-16 C/D aircraft, to Taiwan, which will create job 23 opportunities in this state and help Taiwan maintain its defense 24 capabilities in the region, and 25 WHEREAS, the campaign of the East China Sea Peace 26 Initiative proposed by President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan, which 27 recognizes the conflicting territorial viewpoints of the 28 interested parties, calls on all parties concerned to resolve 29 their regional disputes peacefully based on the United Nations 30 Charter and relevant provisions of international law, which is 31 consistent with the security and economic interests of the 32 United States in East Asia, and 33 WHEREAS, the Legislature encourages and supports Taiwan’s 34 meaningful participation in international organizations, noting 35 that Taiwan participates in, observes, or cooperates with over 36 50 international organizations and is a member of both the Asia 37 Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the World Trade 38 Organization, NOW, THEREFORE, 39 40 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 41 42 That we recognize the relationship and shared interests 43 between the people of Taiwan and the United States.