[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15728]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TAIWAN 106TH ANNIVERSARY

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                     in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, October 5, 2017

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
106th anniversary of the founding of Taiwan, also known as the Republic 
of China, which occurred following the Xinhai Revolution to overthrow 
the last imperial Chinese dynasty.
  Taiwan has been nothing short of an economic miracle. Increased 
investment in infrastructure, education, and communications during the 
latter half of the 20th Century spurred rapid economic growth and 
elevated Taiwan to prominence as one of the ``Four Asian Tigers.'' 
Taiwan is home to Foxconn, one of the largest electronics manufacturers 
in the world, as well as other large technology companies such as ASUS, 
Pegatron, and Quanta Computer.
  The United States and Taiwan enjoy a strong, albeit unofficial, 
relationship, which is maintained by the American Institute in Taiwan 
(AIT). On the commercial side, Taiwan is the U.S.'s 9th largest trading 
partner and the U.S. is Taiwan's second largest trading partner. In 
2016, U.S. trade with Taiwan totaled an estimated $84.9 billion. 
Cultural relations have also prospered in recent years. Travel from 
Taiwan to the U.S. has increased by 50 percent since Taiwan became a 
member of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program in 2012.
  My home state of Georgia also has a strong trade relationship with 
Taiwan. In 2013, the Georgia General Assembly passed a resolution 
supporting a free trade agreement between Taiwan and the U.S. Last 
year, Georgia's exports to Taiwan generated over $420 million. 
Georgia's position as a global logistics and transportation hub has 
attracted investment from the Taiwanese auto parts industry. There are 
also a number of Georgia companies spanning across multiple industries 
that have operations in Taiwan.
  As a member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I would be remiss if 
I did not congratulate the people of Taiwan on their economic 
development in the last few decades. The hard work and ingenuity of the 
Taiwanese people are testaments to their economic success and 
flourishing democracy. I look forward to continued cooperation and 
goodwill between our two countries in the years to come.

                          ____________________