TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Illinois House of Representatives approved a resolution encouraging closer economic ties with Taiwan and supporting its inclusion in international organizations on Tuesday (April 30).

The legislation pointed out that the two sides established sister-state relations in 1992 and have developed robust bilateral trade and cultural ties since then. 

As Taiwan was Illinois' fifth-largest export market in Asia in 2022, “it is essential to support Illinois businesses to enhance their economic engagement with Taiwan based on the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act” to bolster bilateral economic ties, the resolution said. Illinois exported US$ 876 million worth of goods to Taiwan that year.

It is also necessary for Illinois businesses to use the name “Taiwan” to refer to the “Republic of China,” the country’s official name, the resolution added. It backed a double tax avoidance agreement between Taiwan and the U.S. and Taiwan’s ascension in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, saying these two measures would boost state exports to Taiwan and facilitate bilateral investment and technical collaboration.

The resolution lauded Taiwan’s capability and desire to contribute to global health and humanitarian issues. It said Illinois endorses “Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations” including the U.N, World Health Organization, and International Civil Aviation Organization.

This resolution is the latest in a string of bills recently passed by multiple U.S. state legislatures to bolster their ties with Taiwan, including Mississippi, Georgia, Oregon, Florida, and Utah.