[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 342 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 342

  Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free trade agreement 
                 between the United States and Taiwan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 15, 2006

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress relating to a free trade agreement 
                 between the United States and Taiwan.

Whereas for more than 50 years a close relationship has existed between the 
        United States and Taiwan, which has been of major economic, cultural, 
        and strategic advantage to both countries;
Whereas Taiwan is a democratic Nation with respect for the rule of law and human 
        rights and has a fully functional free-market economy;
Whereas these characteristics allow the United States and Taiwan to maintain a 
        strong and vibrant bilateral economic relationship;
Whereas on January 1, 2002, Taiwan was officially admitted into the World Trade 
        Organization, and this has reduced Taiwanese tariffs and has begun 
        opening market access to foreign investment;
Whereas on August 6, 2002, the President signed into law the Trade Act of 2002, 
        which provides for an expedited procedure for congressional 
        consideration of international trade agreements;
Whereas the United States and Taiwan are members of the World Trade Organization 
        and of its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, both 
        of which guarantee the right of countries to enter into free trade 
        agreements with other countries;
Whereas the United States is Taiwan's largest trading partner and is a net 
        exporter of agricultural products to Taiwan;
Whereas in 2005 Taiwan was one of the top 10 largest markets for agricultural 
        products of the United States in terms of value;
Whereas Taiwan functions as the gateway to Asia, has the world's third-largest 
        foreign exchange reserves, and is the world's third-largest exporter of 
        information technology-related products;
Whereas Taiwan ranks fourth in global growth competitiveness among the countries 
        surveyed by the World Economic Forum in 2004, while the United States 
        ranks second;
Whereas the United States has concluded free trade agreements with Australia, 
        Jordan, Morocco, Panama, and Singapore, as well as with Central American 
        countries;
Whereas a free trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan would 
        provide recognition of Taiwan's status as a free and democratic Nation 
        and would further enhance Taiwan's democracy;
Whereas Taiwan ranks as the eighth-largest trading partner with the United 
        States, which is higher than the aforementioned countries with which the 
        United States has concluded free trade agreements;
Whereas in 2003, former United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick 
        spelled out 13 criteria for selecting potential partners with which the 
        United States would enter free trade agreements, criteria which Taiwan 
        fulfills considerably better than countries with which the United States 
        has already signed free trade agreements;
Whereas the Committee on Finance of the Senate and members of the Committee on 
        Ways and Means of the House of Representatives have written to the 
        International Trade Commission expressing their interest in a free trade 
        agreement between the United States and Taiwan, on January 17 and June 
        10, 2002, respectively;
Whereas a report released by the International Trade Commission in October 2002 
        estimated that United States exports to Taiwan would increase by 16 
        percent, or roughly $3,400,000,000 annually, when a free trade agreement 
        between the United States and Taiwan is concluded; and
Whereas a report released by the Institute for International Economics in 2004 
        predicted that such exports from the United States to Taiwan would 
        experience an annual increase of $6,600,000,000: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the President should make the conclusion of a free 
        trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan one of the 
        top priorities of the United States when initiating bilateral 
        free trade agreements with foreign countries; and
            (2) the President should foster the expansion of trade 
        opportunities with Taiwan by instructing the United States 
        Trade Representative to expedite negotiations on a free trade 
        agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
                                 <all>