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ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8402
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senators Wojahn, Sellar, Snyder, Newhouse, Gaspard, Fairley, Swecker, Deccio, Palmer, Drew, McDonald, Oke, Sutherland, Winsley and Rasmussen)
Read first time 02/24/95.
WHEREAS, The State of Washington in the United States of America and Taiwan have an extensive cultural, economic, and political relationship; and
WHEREAS, The manifestation of these relationships can be found in the fact that more than seven and one-half billion dollars in trade was done between the State of Washington and Taiwan in 1993, and Taiwan is the fourth most important source of foreign tourists to Washington; and
WHEREAS, The State of Washington has chosen to recognize the special nature of the relationship of the partners by the establishment of a Trade Office in Taipei; and
WHEREAS, The benefits of a continued expansion of trade between the State of Washington and Taiwan include increases in trade-related employment and greater markets for the products of both states; and
WHEREAS, The State of Washington and Taiwan have worked together to have officially sponsored exchanges in the fine arts, recreation, and political fields; and
WHEREAS, Such exchanges provide opportunities for the people of the State of Washington and the people of Taiwan to benefit by gaining a greater appreciation for the history, fine arts, political institutions, and culture of each other;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the State of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That the Governor of the State of Washington is requested to enter into a sister state relationship with Taiwan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Governor of the State of Washington is encouraged to continue to use the influence of the Office of Governor to promote increased trade, cultural exchanges, and tourism between the two sister states; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a Memorandum of Understanding between the states implementing the sister state relationship should identify an association within each state that will, at a minimum:
(1) Sustain and enhance cooperation between the two states, with special emphasis on urban management and development, arts, trade, culture, and education;
(2) For the State of Washington, establish a Trade, Investment, and Tourism Committee with representatives from the Governor's Office, the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development, one or more public ports, the tourist and convention industry, the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, one or more economic development councils, and growers of exported agricultural products; and
(3) For the Province of Taiwan, a similar committee may be established; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the associations and their committees shall have as members representatives of their respective business communities and other interested individuals and entities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the associations and their committees shall be led by officers to coordinate and energize their activities and raise and provide funds to pay the costs of government officials' activities in the furtherance of the goals of the associations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the officers and members of both associations shall endeavor to meet together as a group at least annually and will visit one another as frequently as schedules permit, with coordination guided through the exchange of annual work plans and budgets.
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