[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 330 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 330

 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the accession of Taiwan to 
                  the World Trade Organization (WTO).


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 19, 2000

 Mr. Stearns submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the accession of Taiwan to 
                  the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Whereas Taiwan's economy is the 20th largest economy in the world;
Whereas Taiwan is represented in 149 countries;
Whereas Taiwan is an active member of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 
        (APEC);
Whereas over 20 percent of Taiwan's imports consist of United States goods 
        representing the 8th largest market for United States exports;
Whereas on January 1, 1990, Taiwan applied to become a contracting party to the 
        General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as a customs territory 
        similar to Hong Kong's accession on April 23, 1986;
Whereas on September 29, 1992, Taiwan's application was accepted by the GATT and 
        a Working Party was established to begin membership negotiations;
Whereas in February 1998, Taiwan completed a landmark bilateral World Trade 
        Organization (WTO) agreement with the United States providing market 
        access for United States goods and services;
Whereas in May 1998, pursuant to the bilateral agreement with the United States, 
        Taiwan proceeded to lower tariffs on more than 1,000 items; and
Whereas Taiwan has completed bilateral negotiations with all 26 WTO member 
        countries requesting such negotiations and Taiwan's membership in the 
        WTO is required to ensure full implementation and benefits of these 
        agreements: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the extension of 
nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of the People's Republic of 
China (pursuant to the termination of the application of title IV of 
the Trade Act of 1974 to such products) should only be effective 
beginning on or after the date on which a vote is taken by the World 
Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference regarding the Decision 
and Protocol of Accession for Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), or the effective 
date of the accession by the People's Republic of China to the WTO, 
whichever occurs later.
                                 <all>