HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

23

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

approving and authorizing the establishment of state-province relations of friendship between the state of hawaii of the united states of america and the province of thua thIEn-hue of the socialist republic of vietnam.

 

 

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is actively seeking to expand its international ties and has an abiding interest in developing goodwill, friendship, and economic relations between the people of Hawaii and the people of Asian and Pacific countries; and

WHEREAS, as part of its effort to achieve this goal, the State has established a number of sister-state agreements with provinces in the Pacific region; and

WHEREAS, because of the historical relationship between the United States of America and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, there are compelling reasons to promote international friendship and understanding for the mutual benefit of both countries to achieve lasting peace and prosperity, as it serves the common interests of both countries; and

WHEREAS, there are historical precedents exemplifying the common desire to maintain a close cultural, commercial, and financial bridge between ethnic Vietnamese living in Hawaii and their relatives, friends, and business counterparts in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, such as the previously established sister-city relationship between the City and County of Honolulu and the city of Hue, which is the capital of the Province of Thua Thien-Hue; and

WHEREAS, a similar state-province relationship between the State and the Province of Thua Thien-Hue, whereby exchanges and cooperation could be established in the areas of business, trade, agriculture, environmentally and culturally sensitive tourism, sports, public health, education, economic development, and humanitarian assistance, would reinforce and cement this common bridge of understanding and mutual assistance between the ethnic Vietnamese of both the State and the Province of Thua Thien-Hue; and

WHEREAS, the Province of Thua Thien-Hue, like Hawaii, has an agricultural economy that is based upon sugar cane, fruits, and flowers, and aquaculture crops, such as shrimp; and

WHEREAS, the city of Hue, capital of the Province of Thua Thien-Hue has been designated as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization because its cultural and natural properties are considered to be of outstanding universal value and must be protected; and

WHEREAS, the Province of Thua Thien-Hue's unique cultural and historical significance and natural beauty are important resources on which to base an environmentally and culturally sensitive tourism industry; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's long experience and expertise in tourism, agriculture, and aquaculture could be shared with the Province of Thua Thien-Hue; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the Senate concurring, that the Governor of the State of Hawaii or the Governor's designee is requested to take all necessary actions to establish a sister-state affiliation with the Province of Thua Thien-Hue in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is requested to keep the Legislature fully apprised of any progress made in establishing the relationship in order that the Legislature may be involved in its formalization to the extent practicable; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Province of Thua Thien-Hue be afforded the privileges and honors to which Hawaii extends to its other sister-states and provinces; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States through the Secretary of State, the Governor of the State of Hawaii, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Hawaii's congressional delegation, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam through its San Francisco Consulate General, the Governor of the Province of Thua Thien-Hue, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Province of Thua Thien-Hue, Socialist Republic of Vietnam