S-0699.1                   _______________________________________________

                                      SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8400

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators Talmadge, Skratek, Haugen, Owen, A. Smith, Pelz, Bluechel, Winsley and Erwin

Read first time 01/14/93.  Referred to Committee on Trade, Technology & Economic Development.

Declaring a sister state relationship with the Province of Taiwan.

          WHEREAS, The State of Washington in the United States of America and the Province of 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 five billion dollars in trade was done between the State of Washington and the Province of Taiwan in 1991 and more than forty-five thousand visitors came to the State of Washington from the Province of Taiwan; 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 the Province of Taiwan include increases in trade-related employment and greater markets for the products of both states; and

          WHEREAS, The State of Washington and the Province of 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 the Province 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 State of Washington declares that it agrees to enter into a sister state relationship with the Province of 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.

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