Adopted July 12, 2015; Amended and Reauthorized July 22, 2020
WHEREAS, Taiwan and the United States have shared a long-standing friendship with a mutually beneficial partnership and the dearly cherished values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan is one of the United States’ key trading partners, with the two-way trade volume between the United States and Taiwan reaching $85.5 billion in 2019, making Taiwan the United States' 10th-largest trading partner; and
WHEREAS, the United States is the 3rd largest source of foreign direct investment in Taiwan, cumulatively investing $24.7 billion as of April 2020; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan has been an important cooperative partner in the SelectUSA investment initiative, a U.S. government program designed to promote business investment in the U.S, and Taiwan has sent one of the largest delegations to participate in every SelectUSA Investment Summit since 2013; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan and the United States held negotiations under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) in October 2016; and
WHEREAS, the 2016 TIFA Council meeting welcomed concrete steps by Taiwan authorities to follow through on important commitments related to intellectual property protection and enforcement, and highlighted progress in addressing technical barriers to trade and fostering transparency in matters related to trade and investment; and
WHEREAS, in the TAIPEI Act of 2019, it is the sense of Congress that the U.S. Trade Representative should consult with Congress on opportunities for further strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations between the U.S. and Taiwan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) supports continued efforts between the United States and Taiwan to strengthen and expand opportunities for bilateral trade and investment; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the copies of this resolution be sent to the United States Secretary of State and Office of the United States Trade Representative.
EXPIRES: Summer 2025
