Assembly Resolution No. 290

BY: M. of A. Ramos

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
May 12, 2021, as Taiwan Heritage Day in the State of
New York

WHEREAS, The United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) share
common ideals and a clear vision for the 21st century, where freedom and
democracy are the foundation for peace, prosperity, and progress; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Congress passed the landmark Taiwan Relations Act
(TRA) in 1979 to sustain a close bilateral relationship and to advance
mutual security and commercial interests between the U.S. and Taiwan,
and the TRA along with Six Assurances have served as cornerstones of
U.S.-Taiwan relations and helped to preserve peace and stability in the
Taiwan Strait; and

WHEREAS, In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States and
Taiwan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on health cooperation
in August 2020 to strengthen ongoing cooperation on global health
security, control of infectious disease, and the development of drugs
and vaccines, intended to battle the coronavirus and to prevent future
international health crises through further collaborations; and

WHEREAS, The United States and Taiwan share a long-term and close
economic relationship, including $85 billion in bilateral trade in 2019,
making Taiwan the 10th largest trading partner of the United States; and
it is encouraged for the U.S. and Taiwan to further strengthen their
bilateral trade and investment relationship by signing an Avoidance of
Double Taxation Agreement (ADTA) and a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA);
and

WHEREAS, The United States has assisted Taiwan in participating in
the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO), and the International Criminal Police Organization
(INTERPOL), and will continue supporting Taiwan's meaningful
participation in these and other organizations; and

WHEREAS, The State of New York exported $898 million worth of
products to Taiwan in 2019, making Taiwan the 18th largest foreign
market for the State of New York; and the bilateral trade and investment
have created over 10,000 jobs in the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Many of the United States' top 500 companies headquartered
in New York have invested in Taiwan, while more than 300 Taiwanese
companies have invested in the State of New York, contributing to
mutually beneficial relationship for decades; and

WHEREAS, Taiwan has signed mutual driver's license recognition pacts
with 34 U.S. states since 2013, and more than 16,000 Taiwanese and
American citizens have taken advantage of the above-mentioned pacts; and

WHEREAS, The State of New York is home to a thriving overseas ethnic
Chinese community that supports the Republic of China (Taiwan),
including the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA), the

Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of New York, Inc., the Chinese Chamber of
Commerce of New York, Inc., and the Taiwanese American Association of
New York, and that devotes itself to the harmony and development of the
State of New York; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 12, 2021, as Taiwan
Heritage Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York; Tsai Ing-wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan); and
James K. J. Lee, Ambassador of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office
in New York.