H 5123

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 5123
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A house RESOLUTION
to Commend Taiwan for its relations with the United
States and with the State of South Carolina.
Whereas, Taiwan and the
United States of America are long-standing allies who both deeply cherish the
common values of democracy, peace, and prosperity; Taiwan continues to pursue
integrated diplomacy and serve the best interests of the Indo-Pacific region by
deepening ties with other like-minded nations, safeguarding regional security,
and utilizing Taiwan's technological and economic success to promote
partnerships on mutual benefits; and
Whereas, the year 2026
marks both the 250th Anniversary of United States Independence and the 30th
Anniversary of Taiwan's first direct presidential election, milestones that
honor liberty and the principle that sovereignty resides in the people; this
shared celebration reaffirms the Taiwan-US commitment to the rule of law, human
rights, and a rules-based international order; through close cooperation,
Taiwan and the United States strengthen democratic values and contribute to
Indo-Pacific security, economic resilience, and global peace and stability for
future generations; and
Whereas, the People's
Republic of China has repeatedly engaged in economic coercion, held military
exercises directed toward Taiwan, and misinterpreted United Nations General
Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) to obstruct Taiwan's contributions to the
international community, thereby challenging the rules-based international
order and enabling aggressive authoritarian expansionism; and
Whereas, Taiwan is the
United States' seventh-largest trading partner, and the United States is
Taiwan's second-largest, with bilateral trade-in-goods value estimated at 158.8
billion dollars; the first agreement implemented under the U.S.-Taiwan
Initiative on 21st-Century Trade establishes commitments on anti-corruption
measures, sound regulatory practices, customs administration and trade
facilitation, and the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises; and
Whereas, F-16 fighter
jets procured by Taiwan are assembled in Greenville, supporting 46,000 local
jobs. The F-16 Block70 rollout ceremony took place on March 28, 2024, marking
the official unveiling of the first completed unit from this production line. Now,
therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the
South Carolina House of Representatives,
by this resolution, commend Taiwan for its relations with the United States and
with the State of South Carolina.
Be it further resolved
that the House of Representatives supports constant talks under the "US-Taiwan
Initiative on 21st-Century Trade" and a U.S.-Taiwan double taxation avoidance
mechanism, as Taiwanese companies are looking for a diverse and free market
investment in the United States, and encourages the organization of a trade
delegation to Taiwan to attract more investments.
Be it further resolved
that, with the celebration of Taiwan's democracy and the reaffirmation of the
United States' commitment to Taiwan, the members of this body support the
Taiwan Caucus as a means to explore more collaborative opportunities with
Taiwan; and in recognition of Taiwan's professionalism and global contribution
in such areas as healthcare, climate change, civil aviation security,
transnational crime crackdown, and trade and investment, the members support
Taiwan's participation in multinational platforms and economic frameworks.
Be it further resolved that
the members of this body encourage the state executives and officials to
further engage with their counterparts in Taiwan to explore, enhance and deepen
substantive relationships on issues that concern the State; support more
exchanges of scholars, teachers, and students under the education cooperation
MOU between South Carolina and Taiwan, as well as encourage South Carolinians
to use Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL), which was approved by the
South Carolina Department of Education in 2025 as a Chinese proficiency
assessment tool for the South Carolina State Seal of Biliteracy; and encourage participation
in Taiwanese American Heritage Week in May and other activities and experiences
that promote Taiwan's cultures, tourism, and delicacies.
Be it further resolved that
copies of this resolution be provided to Governor Henry McMaster, Secretary of
State Mark Hammond, the South Carolina Congressional Delegation, and Mr. Jared
Lin, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta.
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This web page was last updated on February 10, 2026 at 01:04 PM