TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the U.S.’ largest nonpartisan organization of state legislators that supports principles of limited government and free markets, passed two Taiwan-related resolutions this week.
The first resolution highlights the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, peace, and prosperity between Taiwan and the U.S. It urges U.S. state legislatures to establish their own Taiwan Friendship Caucus to bolster cooperation with Taiwan across various areas.
It also calls on them to continue supporting Taiwan's participation in international organizations, according to a Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) press release.
The second resolution calls on the U.S. to invite Taiwan to join the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which will help foster closer trade cooperation among member countries and counter China's economic influence in Asia. It points out that Taiwan’s economy is one of the strongest and wealthiest in the Indo-Pacific region, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of about $660 billion in 2021, per TECRO.
It also praises Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing industry as the best in the world, with one company alone accounting for more than 50% of the global market;
These resolutions will strengthen the friendship between Taiwan and U.S. state legislatures and “help deepen the bilateral economic and strategic partnership” between the two nations, TECRO said. The representative office expressed gratitude to ALEC and said it is willing to work with all levels of the government across the U.S. “to promote a stronger, mutually beneficial partnership.”
U.S. President Joe Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity in May 2022 with 12 initial partners: Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The organization aims to “create a stronger, fairer, more resilient economy for families, workers, and businesses in the United States and in the Indo-Pacific region,” according to the White House.
