TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said that 30 US state legislatures have passed pro-Taiwan resolutions this year. 

On May 28, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a pro-Taiwan resolution for the fifth consecutive year, per Liberty Times. The Illinois resolution reaffirms support for the Taiwan Relations Act, encourages businesses to refer to Taiwan by its official name, and backs a Taiwan-US bilateral trade agreement, a tax agreement to avoid double taxation, and Taiwan’s inclusion in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.

This latest Taiwan-friendly state resolution also supports the signing of economic and trade agreements between Taiwan and Illinois, the establishment of an Illinois office in Taiwan, high-level visits to Taiwan, and the strengthening of bilateral economic and trade ties. It endorses Taiwan’s participation in international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and INTERPOL. 

The resolution “opposes any distortion or misuse of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 to attempt to deny Taiwan's aspiration to make more contributions in international societies.” The ministry welcomed the resolution and thanked the Illinois House of Representatives for its support.

Since January, MOFA noted that 30 state legislatures have passed resolutions expressing support for Taiwan. These resolutions have included calls to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, resolve Taiwan-US double taxation issues, support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and oppose any misinterpretation of UNGA Resolution 2758. 

The ministry expressed gratitude to the state legislatures for their support. It said Taiwan’s representative offices across the US will strengthen ties with state lawmakers and deepen cross-sector partnerships at the local level. 

In addition, MOFA said that in recent years, the US federal government has issued letters on three occasions encouraging all state governors and Fortune 500 US companies to expand relations with Taiwan. It said this sends a clear signal of US support for closer exchanges with Taiwan across all levels and sectors. 

Currently, 24 US states have established representative offices in Taiwan.