00               CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 34(WTR)                                                               
01 Sending a message of goodwill to President Chen Shui-bian, and reaffirming the Alaska                                   
02 State Legislature's 2003 resolution urging the United States Congress to support the                                    
03 granting of official Observer Status to the Republic of China on Taiwan and to support                                  
04 negotiation of a free trade agreement with the Republic of China on Taiwan.                                             
05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
06       WHEREAS President Chen Shui-bian has been reelected as President of the Republic                                
07 of China on Taiwan; and                                                                                                 
08       WHEREAS Legislative Resolve No. 29, passed by the Alaska State Legislature in the                               
09 First Regular Session of the Twenty-Third Legislature, continues to reflect the view of the                             
10 legislature; and                                                                                                        
11       WHEREAS the United States, including the State of Alaska, and Taiwan have long                                  
12 been valued and close partners in trade and cultural exchanges; and                                                     
13       WHEREAS the Taiwan is the eighth largest trading partner of the United States and                               
14 is a significant trading partner of the State of Alaska; and                                                            
15       WHEREAS Taiwan is showing signs of significant potential for increasing trade with                              

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

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