Legislature(2025 - 2026)BUTROVICH 205
03/19/2025 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Regulatory Commission of Alaska | |
| SJR8 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | SJR 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SJR 8-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN
4:27:55 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the consideration of SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 8 Relating to strengthening international
relations with Taiwan. She invited the sponsor and her staff to
present the resolution.
4:28:21 PM
SENATOR ELVI GRAY-JACKSON, District G, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, introduced SJR 8:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Senate Joint Resolution 8 reaffirms Alaska's
commitment to strengthening its relationship with
Taiwan, highlighting the deep economic, cultural, and
educational ties between the two nations. Taiwan is a
key economic partner for Alaska, ranking as the
state's eighth-largest export market in 2023 and
fourth-largest market in Asia. The resolution
emphasizes the importance of expanding trade
relations, particularly in Alaska's seafood industry,
which benefits from Taiwan's high-quality seafood
market.
In 1989, the first Alaska-Taiwan trade office opened
in Taipei. The trade office was a success in promoting
international trade and growth between Alaska and
Taiwan. The organization worked to promote trade and
cultural contacts between residents of Alaska and
Taiwan, and this proposed legislation before us today
would promote the same meaningful relationship. Taiwan
is a country with a voracious appetite for natural
resources, fish, timber, oil, and many other resources
that Alaska has on abundance. In 1988, before the
trade office was established, sales of fish products
were only $300,000 annually. After the office was
established, the sale of seafood between Alaska and
Taiwan rose to $6 million annually, confirming that
the presence of an Alaskan trade office will help with
the promotion of Alaska's current abundant resources.
4:30:06 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON continued to introduce SJR 8.
Alaska and Taiwan have a long history of cultural and
educational exchanges, with sister-city partnerships
between Fairbanks and Tainan City, Juneau and Chiayi
City, and Anchorage and Taipei City. Reestablishing an
Alaska Trade Office in Taiwan would further strengthen
these connections and create a foundation for
collaboration in technology, international seafood
sales, education, tourism, and much more.
SJR 8 supports Taiwan's efforts in maintaining a
strong relationship with the State of Alaska.
4:30:50 PM
CLARK BICKFORD, Staff, Senator Gray-Jackson, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said he was available to answer
questions on SJR 8.
4:31:22 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced invited testimony on SJR 8.
There was a period of technical difficulty with the testifiers'
connections.
4:32:46 PM
DANIEL CHEN, Director, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office,
Seattle, Washington, testified by invitation in support of SJR
8. He thanked Senator Gray-Jackson for introducing SJR 8 and for
her research in Taiwan to identify opportunities for cooperation
with Alaska. He emphasized the long-standing relationship
between Alaska and Taiwan, including the sister-state
relationship established in 1988 and city partnerships between
AnchorageTaipei, FairbanksTainan, and JuneauChiayi.
MR. CHEN said Taiwan was Alaska's largest export destination as
of 2023 and ranked fourth in the Indo-Pacific, with total
bilateral trade of approximately $188 million. He outlined
several areas where Taiwan can further support Alaska's economy:
• Energy cooperation: Alaska's natural gas resources align with
Taiwan's efforts to strengthen energy resilience and
diversification. He noted that discussions were already
underway regarding LNG exports to Taiwan.
• Seafood exports: Taiwan imported $1.9 billion in seafood in
2023, but the United States ranks only 10th as a supplier,
with about 1.5 percent market share. Alaska's premium seafood
presents significant growth potential.
• Technology and innovation: Taiwan's Smart City and AI
initiatives create opportunities for collaboration in digital
infrastructure, urban efficiency, and innovation.
• Education exchanges: Taiwan's globally recognized advanced
technology education system offers strong potential for
expanded educational exchange programs with Alaska.
• Tourism and cultural exchange: Post-COVID growth in U.S.
Taiwan tourism, including new SeattleTaipei direct flights,
opened opportunities to increase tourism to Alaska.
4:36:37 PM
MR. CHEN urged that reopening an Alaska trade office in Taiwan
would deepen economic ties, build on existing trade performance,
and provide access to broader Asia-Pacific markets, including
Indonesia and the Philippines. He cited examples from other
states: Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, showing significant export
growth after establishing or reopening trade offices in Taiwan.
MR. CHEN concluded by committing continued support from his
Seattle-based team to work with Alaska state government and
stakeholders to reopen the Alaska trade office in Taiwan,
strengthen small business connections, and expand economic
opportunities.
4:39:45 PM
CAMERON CARLSON, Dean, College of Business and Security
Management, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Fairbanks,
Alaska, testified by invitation in support of SJR 8, which he
said aimed to strengthen Alaska's economic and trade
relationship with Taiwan. He described how the College of
Business and Security Management (CBSM) was actively advancing
this goal through efforts to establish a partnership with the
National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST),
specifically its Colleges of Management and Marine Commerce.
MR. CARLSON said the proposed partnership would focus on
educational and research collaboration in business and marine
commercesectors central to Alaska's economic future and its
trade relationship with Taiwan. He emphasized that this
initiative would go beyond academic exchange and reflected
Alaska's broader commitment to building meaningful, long-term
international partnerships that could support trade and
investment growth.
He underscored Taiwan's importance to Alaska's economy, noting
that in 2023, Taiwan was Alaska's eighth-largest export market
and the fourth largest in Asia, with the seafood industry
standing to benefit significantly from expanded trade. He said
reopening an Alaska trade office in Taiwan was a key opportunity
to enhance trade, as well as economic and cultural exchange.
He noted that SJR 8 was timely given shifting global supply
chains and the growing importance of partnerships with reliable
trade partners. He said Taiwan's track record in responsible
global trade, combined with expanded educational exchanges and
joint research, would support workforce development and
reinforce Alaska's leadership in maritime commerce and
international business.
He concluded that the CBSMNKUST partnership was a concrete
example of AlaskaTaiwan engagement, and that SJR 8 would
strengthen the foundation for deeper educational, cultural, and
economic ties and increased mutual trade and investment.
4:43:00 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL closed invited testimony and opened public
testimony.
4:43:44 PM
EMILY KLOC, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, urged the
committee to pass SJR 8, emphasizing that both Alaska and Taiwan
stood to benefit from expanded trade and educational exchanges.
She expressed concern about the impacts of global trade
negotiations on Alaska's economy and argued that resuming an
Alaska trade office in Taiwan would help mitigate those effects.
She said increased trade with Taiwan could help lower the cost
of goods for Alaskans and noted that the Alaska seafood industry
would benefit from a stronger trade relationship. She strongly
encouraged the committee to support SJR 8.
4:45:10 PM
JEFF CHEN, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
support of SJR 8. As a multimedia producer, small business
owner, and former Anchorage Sister Cities commissioner, he
emphasized the mutual benefits Alaska and Taiwan could gain
through expanded trade, education, tourism, and cultural
exchange. He cited examples of cooperation, including
facilitating critical PPE shipments from Taiwan to Alaska during
the pandemic and U.S. vaccine assistance to Taiwan. He
highlighted personal and cultural ties between Alaska and
Taiwan, and current trade as well as potential for the future.
He advocated for establishing an Alaska trade office in Taiwan,
restoring direct flights, and expanding cultural exchanges,
concluding that closer ties with Taiwan would help Alaska build
economic opportunity and democratic partnerships across the
Pacific.
4:48:20 PM
TRACY FAN, representing self, Eagle River, Alaska, testified in
support of SJR 8. She said increased trade and cultural exchange
between Alaska and Taiwan would be mutually beneficial. She
expressed particular interest in restoring direct flights
between Alaska and Taiwan to strengthen traditional, economic,
and cultural ties, and thanked the committee for considering her
testimony.
4:49:33 PM
KEY MA, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
support of SJR 8. Drawing on 30 years of aviation experience, he
emphasized Alaska's strategic geographic position for trans-
Pacific aviation and noted existing connections between Alaska
Airlines and Taiwan through Starlux. He argued that establishing
direct flights to Taiwan would significantly strengthen business
ties with Taiwan and Asia more broadly and expressed strong
support for advancing Alaska's aviation role.
4:51:10 PM
CALVIN CHANG, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
support of SJR 8. He noted that he was an Alaska resident of
Taiwanese descent and stated that strengthening ties between
Alaska and Taiwan would be mutually beneficial, particularly
through expanded tourism and trade. He concurred with previous
testimony that direct flights would be very convenient. He
expressed appreciation for SJR 8 and for the opportunity to
provide testimony.
4:52:31 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL closed public testimony on SJR 8.
4:52:40 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR referenced a discussion earlier that day with the
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) about
restoring direct flights to Asia. He said DOTPF leadership
expressed doubts about sufficient market demand. He argued that
decisions should consider broader economic, trade, and strategic
benefits beyond passenger numbers, such as time savings and
stronger international connections. He asked whether direct
flights to Asia, including Taipei, were encompassed within the
resolution's goals for economic and trade partnerships, and
whether the resolution could be shared with airport directors to
support those efforts.
4:53:49 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON concurred.
4:53:58 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI referred to SJR 8, page 3, lines 1 through 3,
and asked for clarification on the fourth "further resolved"
clause of SJR 8, specifically whether it referred to any trade
or tax agreement currently under consideration in Congress. He
noted the provision seemed vague and sought more specificity on
what agreements were being contemplated.
4:54:28 PM
MR. BICKFORD expressed appreciation for the inquiry and
committed to a prompt answer following the meeting.
4:54:53 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL held SJR 8 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SJR 8 Sponsor Statement .pdf |
SRES 3/19/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 8 |
| SJR008A.pdf |
SRES 3/19/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 8 |
| Title 42 Chapter 4.pdf |
SRES 3/19/2025 3:30:00 PM |
|
| John Springsteen RCA Resume_Redacted.pdf |
SRES 3/19/2025 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Steven Devries RCA Resume_Redacted.pdf |
SRES 3/19/2025 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Mark Johnston RCA Resume_Redacted.pdf |
SRES 3/19/2025 3:30:00 PM |