00Enrolled HJR 48                                                                                                         
01 Sending a message of goodwill to President Chen Shui-bian and to the people of Taiwan, and                              
02 reaffirming the Alaska State Legislature's 2003 resolution urging the United States Congress                            
03 to support the granting of official Observer Status to the Republic of China on Taiwan and to                           
04 support negotiation of a free trade agreement with the Republic of China on Taiwan.                                     
05                                        _______________                                                                  
06 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                             
07      WHEREAS President Chen Shui-bian has been reelected as President of the Republic                                 
08 of China on Taiwan; and                                                                                                 
09      WHEREAS Legislative Resolve No. 29, passed by the Alaska State Legislature in the                                
10 First Regular Session of the Twenty-Third Legislature, continues to reflect the view of the                             
11 legislature; and                                                                                                        
12      WHEREAS the United States, including the State of Alaska, and Taiwan have long                                   
13 been valued and close partners in trade and cultural exchanges; and                                                     
14      WHEREAS Taiwan is the eighth largest trading partner of the United States and is a                               
15 significant trading partner of the State of Alaska; and                                                                 
16      WHEREAS Taiwan is showing signs of significant potential for increasing trade with                               
17 the United States and the State of Alaska as the world economy continues to recover from                                

01 recession; and                                                                                                          
02      WHEREAS free trade among the peoples of the world is of vital importance to the                                  
03 United States, including the citizens of Alaska, and to Taiwan; and                                                     
04      WHEREAS the importance of free trade is strongly acknowledged in Alaska; the                                     
05 Municipality of Anchorage and the City of Taipei having signed a Partner Cities Agreement                               
06 to encourage trade and cultural exchange; and                                                                           
07      WHEREAS the United States and Taiwan have, for decades, been willing signers of                                  
08 mutual defense treaties; and                                                                                            
09      WHEREAS the health of the peoples of the world is of vital importance to the United                              
10 States, including the citizens of Alaska, and Taiwan; and                                                               
11      WHEREAS the people of the United States and Taiwan have generously contributed                                   
12 to programs that benefit the health of the peoples of the world; and                                                    
13      WHEREAS it would be mutually beneficial to the people of the United States,                                      
14 including Alaska, and the people of Taiwan to both assist and realize a continuation of                                 
15 international efforts the goal of which is to expand and further develop health-related                                 
16 knowledge; and                                                                                                          
17      WHEREAS today there is a strong need for the rapid and complete international                                    
18 dissemination of health-medical information and research results, in view of the recent                                 
19 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), considered to be a worldwide                                      
20 health threat;                                                                                                          
21      BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature continues to encourage the                                      
22 United States Congress to authorize the United States to endorse the request by the Republic                            
23 of China on Taiwan to be granted official Observer Status at the World Health Organization;                             
24 and be it                                                                                                               
25      FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature again urges the United                                        
26 States Congress to encourage the administration of President George W. Bush to negotiate a                              
27 free trade agreement with the Republic of China on Taiwan; and be it                                                    
28      FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature sends a message of                                            
29 goodwill to President Chen Shui-bian regarding his reelection and reaffirming the State of                              
30 Alaska's relationship with the Republic of China on Taiwan.                                                             
31      COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Chen Shui-bian, President of                            

01 the Republic of China on Taiwan; the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United                                  
02 States; the Honorable Colin Powell, United States Secretary of State; the Honorable Tommy                               
03 Thompson, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services; the World Health                                        
04 Assembly; the World Health Organization; Jack K. C. Chiang, Director General, Taipei                                    
05 Economic and Cultural Office, 2001 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2410, Seattle, WA  98121; and to                                 
06 the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the                                      
07 Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.