Hawaiʻi legislature wants Taiwan in the TPP

The Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives, yesterday, passed HR52 HD1, joining the Hawaiʻi State Senate in support of including Taiwan in the massive Pacific free-trade treaty known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), currently under secret negotiations. The Senate passed an earlier resolution in support on Taiwanese entry on April 17, 2014.

As reason to support for Taiwan’s inclusion into the TPP, the House resolution cites both President Obama’s “Rebalancing to Asia” foreign policy strategy and Taiwanese President Ma-Ying Jeou’s 2014 New Years Address, in which he announced that Taiwan would do its utmost to enter the TPP.

Should Taiwan join the TPP, it will become the 6th largest participating economy. It is currently the 18th largest economy in the world and the 10th largest economy in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

To read the full resolution, click here.