WHEREAS, Taiwan is the 10th largest trading partner of the
United States, with bilateral trade totaling $83.17 billion in
2020; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan has been committed to further enhancing its
economic ties with the United States by seeking to sign a
reciprocal Bilateral Trade Agreement and an Avoidance Double
Taxation Agreement and agreeing to ease restrictions on the
importation of United States agricultural products; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Taiwan have
developed an enduring and mutually beneficial partnership that
facilitates economic, cultural and people-to-people exchanges
over the years; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's 6th
largest export market in Asia and the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania is home to a growing number of Taiwanese companies
that create thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania, and a high
standard BTA would encourage even greater access to Taiwan's
market, reduce tariff and nontariff barriers to trade and
increase security and economic growth for both the United States
and Taiwan, as well as Pennsylvania in particular; and
WHEREAS, The MOUs between the United States and Taiwan on
Scientific and Technological Cooperation and International
Education Cooperation lay the foundation for broader exchanges
and cooperation between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and
Taiwan on innovation, critical supply chains and language
education; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Taiwan signed
an intergovernmental agreement regarding the mutual recognition
of driver's licenses in 2015, creating greater convenience for
the people on both sides and deepening relations between Taiwan
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