ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 187

STATE OF NEW JERSEY 214th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED MAY 9, 2011

Sponsored by: Assemblyman JOHN S. WISNIEWSKI District 19 (Middlesex) Assemblywoman LINDA STENDER District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS Commemorates 100th anniversary of founding of Republic of ().

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced.

ACR187 WISNIEWSKI, STENDER 2

th 1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION commemorating the 100 2 anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China. 3 4 WHEREAS, The Republic of China is the first republic in Asia and will 5 soon mark the 100th anniversary of its 1911 founding; and since its 6 relocating to Taiwan in 1949, for the first time, Taiwan and 7 have significantly improved their relations in 8 recent years through a shared focus on the “three links” of 9 transportation, commerce, and communications; and 10 WHEREAS, Through Cross-Strait dialogues, the establishment of the 11 Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with 12 Mainland China and a policy of flexible diplomacy which are 13 implemented by the government under President Ma Ying-Jeou, 14 Taiwan has transformed itself into a cornerstone for peace and 15 prosperity in East Asia; and 16 WHEREAS, Taiwan’s economic growth has been accompanied by the 17 development of a strong and successful democracy, which together 18 make it a positive example for its neighbors in Asia and an 19 important political partner for the United States; and 20 WHEREAS, Signs of this partnership include Taiwan’s status as the 21 ninth largest trading partner with the United States and the strong 22 economic partnerships it has formed with individual States; and 23 WHEREAS, Among these partnerships is the one Taiwan has with New 24 Jersey, which exported $634 million worth of products to Taiwan in 25 2010, making Taiwan the 17th largest foreign market for the State; 26 and 27 WHEREAS, Many of New Jersey’s largest employers have a presence 28 in Taiwan, including Johnson & Johnson, Verizon, and Prudential 29 Financial; and 30 WHEREAS, Taiwan has a presence in New Jersey through a growing 31 Taiwanese-American community of over 7,000 residents, who 32 bring their skills and abilities to strengthen our communities but 33 still care deeply for their former homeland; and 34 WHEREAS, New Jersey has maintained a friendly and fruitful sister- 35 State relationship with Taiwan for over 20 years, a symbol of the 36 close connection between Taiwan and New Jersey; now, therefore, 37 38 BE IT RESOLVED by the General Assembly of the State of New 39 Jersey (the Senate concurring): 40 41 1. The Legislature hereby commemorates the 100th anniversary 42 of the founding of the Republic of China and expresses its 43 commitment to continuing a close economic partnership with 44 Taiwan. 45 46 2. A duly authenticated copy of this concurrent resolution, 47 signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and the President of 48 the Senate and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly and

ACR187 WISNIEWSKI, STENDER 3

1 the Secretary of the Senate, shall be transmitted to the 2 Economic and Cultural Office in New York. 3 4 5 STATEMENT 6 7 This concurrent resolution commemorates the 100th anniversary 8 of the founding of the Republic of China. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen founded 9 the Republic of China in 1911 after the fall of the Manchu Dynasty, 10 establishing the first republic on the continent of Asia. During a 11 civil war in China the government of the Republic of China was 12 forced to relocate to the island of Taiwan, so that the republic is 13 now commonly referred to as Taiwan. The opposing side in the war 14 was the army of the which currently 15 occupies the mainland of China. 16 The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China, 17 established by the Chinese Communists, have had a complicated 18 relationship, as both parties have claimed to be the rightful rulers of 19 China. A major breakthrough in the relations between the two 20 groups came in 1992 with the “1992 consensus” under which both 21 sides agreed to set aside the question of sovereignty while 22 discussing operational questions between Taiwan and mainland 23 China. The “1992 consensus” allowed both sides to focus on the 24 “three links” of transportation, commerce, and communication that 25 both sides deemed important. The two sides have made significant 26 diplomatic progress since 1992 by opening travel and trade between 27 Taiwan and mainland China. These new economic ties have made 28 Taiwan an even more important strategic partner for America, as 29 have its other relationships in the Far East and its status as a 30 thriving democracy with an advanced economy. 31 Taiwan is America’s 9th largest trading partner, and the 17th 32 largest export market for New Jersey, making it an important 33 economic partner for the State. Many major New Jersey companies 34 do business in Taiwan, providing us with a physical presence to 35 accompany our trade relationship. New Jersey has a domestic 36 interest in Taiwan as well, due to a rapidly growing Taiwanese- 37 American population. New Jersey has maintained a political 38 relationship with Taiwan through a sister-State relationship that 39 began in 1989. In light of the strong relationship New Jersey has 40 with Taiwan, this concurrent resolution commemorates the 100th 41 anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China and expresses 42 our commitment to continuing that relationship.