Taiwan's Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission
TAIWAN'S AGRICULTURAL TRADE GOODWILL MISSION -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 08, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. PETE SESSIONS
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2005
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that the Republic of China, Taiwan, has sent an Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission to Capitol Hill and there will be a signing ceremony between the Mission and its American grain suppliers on Wednesday, September 14, 2005, at 9 a.m. in the Mansfield Room of the Capitol Building.
It is also my understanding that Taiwan's Goodwill Mission will sign letters of intent to purchase 14.5 million metric tons, equivalent to 559 million bushels, of U.S. wheat, soybeans and corn in 2006 and 2007. The mission's tannery group will also sign a statement with American suppliers to buy up to 6 million pieces of ``wet salted hide'' and ``wet blue hide'' for years 2006 and 2007. The total value of all the purchases will amount to $3.1 billion.
I welcome Taiwan's Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission to Capitol Hill. Two years ago, the same Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission came to the Hill and signed letters of intent agreeing to purchase $2.87 billion for the years 2004 and 2005. The last mission planned to buy 15.1 metric tons, approximately 581 bushels, of wheat, soybeans and corns and 4 million pieces of hide. As of June 2005, Taiwan had already purchased 10.5 metric tons, equivalent to 404 million bushels, of U.S. grain. And in 2004, Taiwan purchased an additional 3 million pieces of U.S. hide in 2004. Given Taiwan's long history as an excellent customer for U.S. agricultural products, it is reasonable to expect Taiwan to fulfill all its agreed-upon commitments and more.
Taiwan has had a very strong trade relations with our Nation. Year after year, Taiwan has imported U.S. cattle hides, U.S. hog skins, soybean, corn and wheat and other agricultural products, amounting to billions of dollars for American producers. We hope this trend will continue in the future as our agricultural exports to Taiwan greatly benefit our grain exporters and farmers.
I join my colleagues in welcoming members of Taiwan's Agricultural Trade Goodwill to Capitol Hill and I wish Dr. Chen Hsi-Huang, Mr. Kuo Hsin-Hong and Mr. Wang Tsong-ming, heads of The Soybean and Corn Delegation, The Wheat Delegation and The Hide Delegation, and members of the delegation a pleasant journey as they travel to Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Kansas, and Texas to meet with state and local officials and suppliers.
We also hope they will return to Capitol Hill again next year.
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