Rep. LeBlanc offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 85. 

            A resolution to recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan) on its centenary.   

Whereas, Taiwan celebrates its centenary this year and its National Day on October 10, 2011, and joins friends and compatriots around the world in commemorating 100 years since its birth on October 10, 1911, as Asia’s first republic; and

Whereas, Taiwan is the world’s 19th largest economy and a major U.S. trading partner, which in the last two decades has achieved economic and social stability and been lauded as a beacon of democracy for Asia. The country has dramatically improved its record on human rights, and has taken great steps forward to enter the world arena as a trusted partner; and

Whereas, Taiwan has a strong economic and cultural relationship with Michigan, as Taiwan’s imports of U.S. goods in 2010 increased 41 percent over those in 2009, and Taiwan’s imports of Michigan goods in 2010, valued at almost 229 million dollars, increased 28 percent over the same period; and

Whereas, Hundreds of Taiwanese students are enrolled at Michigan colleges and universities and over the years many reciprocal business, professional, legislative and other delegations and cultural and educational exchanges have promoted ties and enhanced relations between Michigan and Taiwan; and 

Whereas, Taiwan’s absence from international organizations has impeded Taiwan’s ability to participate in global climate initiatives and to respond to natural disasters like Typhoon Morakot, which struck Taiwan in the summer of 2009, an unusually destructive typhoon season in the Pacific; and

Whereas, The Taiwan government is grateful for the assistance and condolences of the international community in the wake of Typhoon Morakot in 2009, as dozens of international organizations and nations stepped up to help, including the United States, which supplied military equipment for rescue and recovery operations; and

Whereas, Aviation safety has become a major global concern since 2001 and Taiwan is a key air transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 1.35 million flights passing through the Taipei Flight Information Region and  the world’s 15th largest cargo volume airport; and

Whereas, The Taiwan government has undertaken a policy of “viable diplomacy” in its international relations and a pragmatic approach to China, having completed a number of cross-strait liberalization measures, including direct passenger flights between mainland China and Taiwan and other goodwill measures, resulting in reciprocal gestures and rapprochement between Taipei and Beijing; and

Whereas, Taiwan has shown its readiness and ability to provide humanitarian aid to other nations, as demonstrated by its swift delivery of assistance to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake there and dispatch of a rescue team and relief equipment and supplies to Japan following that nation’s earthquake and tsunami earlier this year; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan) on its centenary. We congratulate Taiwan on the centennial of its birth in 1911 as Asia’s first republic and express continued support of Michigan’s cordial relations with Taiwan and for increasing Taiwan’s international space as part of the global community. We encourage meaningful participation of Taiwan in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to increase Taiwan’s international space and contribution to the global community.