LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION celebrating Taiwan Heritage Day to strengthen the
friendship and bilateral relationship between the State of New York and
Taiwan

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, Taiwan has become a multiparty democracy in which all citi-
zens have the right to participate freely in the political process, as
evidenced by Taiwan's six democratic presidential elections, which took
place in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to congratulate President-e-
lect Dr. Tsai, Ing-wen and Vice President-elect Dr. Chen, Chien-jen on
their victory in Taiwan's presidential election on January 16, 2016,
making Dr. Tsai the first female President of the Republic of China
(Taiwan) in history; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is also proud to congratulate The
Honorable Lily L.W. Hsu, the new Ambassador and Director General of the
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York for assuming
office on January 20, 2016, as a seasoned career diplomat of the Repub-
lic of China (Taiwan) and the first female Ambassador of TECO in New
York; and
WHEREAS, Through cross-Strait dialogue, the establishment of the
Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with mainland China, and
the policy of Viable Diplomacy, President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic
of China (Taiwan) has transformed the Taiwan Strait from a major inter-
national flashpoint into an essential component of East Asian peace and
prosperity; and
WHEREAS, In 1979, the United States passed the Taiwan Relations Act to
define the relations of the United States and Taiwan, which strongly
strengthened their friendship; and
WHEREAS, The United States and Taiwan share a long-term and close
economic relationship, including $66.6 billion in bilateral trade in
2015, making Taiwan the 9th largest trading partner of the United
States; and
WHEREAS, The United States assisted Taiwan in attaining participation
in the assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2009, and
of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2013, and
will continue supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in other
international organizations such as the United Nations Framework Conven-
tion on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and INTERPOL; and
WHEREAS, In order to strengthen bilateral trade relations with the
United States, the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has
expressed its wish to participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Agreement (TPP), and to sign a Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) and
a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States in the near future;
and
WHEREAS, The State of New York exported $844 million and imported
$1.76 billion worth of products to/from Taiwan in 2014, making Taiwan
the 15th largest foreign market for the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Many of the United States' top 500 companies headquartered in
New York, including IBM, Pfizer, Corning, Citigroup, AIG, MetLife,
JPMorgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, and New York Life, have invested in
Taiwan supporting the mutually beneficial relationship for decades; and
WHEREAS, There are more than 300 Taiwanese companies that have
invested in the State of New York in sectors such as computers, finance,
jewelry, sporting goods, and garments; 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 Chinese
Chamber of Commerce of New York, Inc., Buddha's Light International
Association in New York, the Taiwan Center (Senior Center), Taiwanese
American Association of New York, the Union of Taiwan Universities and
Colleges Alumni Association and the National Women's League of the
Republic of China (Taiwan), that devotes themselves to the harmony and
development of the community of the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Legislature held the 3rd Taiwan Heritage
Day Celebration at the Legislative Office Building in Albany in April of
2015, to promote bilateral relations between New York and Taiwan, and
will hold the 4th Taiwan Heritage Day Celebration in 2016; now, there-
fore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
celebrate Taiwan Heritage Day to strengthen the friendship and bilateral
relations between the State of New York and Taiwan; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to President Ma, Ying-jeou of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York; President-
elect Dr. Tsai, Ing-wen; Vice President-elect Dr. Chen, Chien-jen; and
The Honorable Lily L. W. Hsu, the new Ambassador and Director General of
the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York.