AssemblyConcurrent Resolution No. 113

RESOLUTION CHAPTER 116

[Filed with Secretary of State September 2, 1994.]

                                             Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 113 Relative to the Osaka Prefectural Government.

WHEREAS, International trade is a vital and growing component of California's future economic development and job creation;
and

WHEREAS, The coming 21st century offers unique and grand opportunities for California to engage prosperously in the
Pacific Rim; and

WHEREAS, There will soon be more than 1 billion middle-class consumers in East Asia, a market we cannot afford to ignore; and

WHEREAS, We ought to maximize every opportunity for establishing and improving relationships with the nations of the Pacific Rim; and

WHEREAS, Extending ourselves into a more proactive and attentive and thorough-going relationship with Japan will serve to improve our economic relations and success with Japan; and

WHEREAS, It is necessary and valuable to our future economic and social well-being for the State of California to take affirmative steps to engage in efforts to promote sound cultural and economic development in the Asia-Pacific region; and

WHEREAS, The State of California and the Osaka Prefectural Government in Japan respectively represent the seventh and eleventh largest economies in the world; and

WHEREAS, The Osaka Prefectural Government and the Department of Commerce of the State of California on December 19, 1988, executed an agreement to promote cooperation between California and Japanese companies through direct investments, joint ventures, licensing agreements, trade expansion, and other
means; and

WHEREAS, Aspiring to make Osaka a truly internationalized metropolitan area open to the world, the Osaka Prefectural Government is promoting international exchange programs through a friendship agreement network in the Asia-Pacific region as its pillar; and

WHEREAS, Other developments since that time including the forthcoming opening of the new 24-hour Kansai airport and Osaka's location as a prime gateway into the burgeoning economy of Southeast Asia make it appropriate that California and Osaka now enter into a more comprehensive agreement of friendship and
cooperation; and

WHEREAS, The Osaka Prefectural Government has already concluded goodwill and friendship agreements with Shanghai and Jiangsu, China; East Java, Indonesia; Val d'Oise, France; Queensland, Australia; and Primorsky Territory, Russia; and

WHEREAS, The Osaka Prefectural Government has recently invited California to express its interest in entering into a nonexclusive Amended Cooperation Agreement between Osaka Prefectural Government and State of California to promote cultural and economic exchanges of mutual benefit; and

WHEREAS, An Amended Cooperation Agreement between Osaka Prefectural Government and State of California should promote relationships on three fronts:  government to government; business to business; and academia to academia; and

WHEREAS, The State of California and the Osaka Prefectural Government hope that this relationship will serve as a model for both governments to adopt when establishing comparable relationships with other governments; and

WHEREAS, This resolution is intended by the Legislature to signal to the Osaka Prefectural Government and other foreign governments that Californians welcome all expressions of interest in these programs of mutual cooperation and exchanges of friendship and goodwill; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature expresses its support for the Governor to execute an Amended Cooperation Agreement between the Osaka Prefectural Government and State of California on behalf of the State of California; and be it further

Resolved, That the State of California and the Osaka Prefectural Government recognize the desire of their governments, organizations, and citizens to enhance the friendship that exists between them and engage in economic, commercial, technological, and cultural activities of mutual benefit; and be it further

Resolved, That given the current and potential economic vitality of California and the Osaka Prefecture, as well as their strong cultural ties, the parties further recognize that their regions can establish broad economic, technological, and cultural activities, including equitable and mutually beneficial development of trade in goods and services, investment, technology, energy, transportation, and tourism, as well as the development of science, culture, arts, education, and health, while in each instance, fully observing the necessity of protecting the local and global environment; and be it further

Resolved, That both parties will promote cooperation between California and Osaka in the areas of trade expansion and promotion of tourism, development of cooperative research centers and exchanges in research personnel education, language, and cultural exchanges; and be it further

Resolved, That both parties will encourage the activities of business organizations such as the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the California Manufacturers Association to promote cooperation on a business-to-business basis, as well as their educational institutions on an academic-to-academic basis; and be it further

Resolved, That through this nonexclusive agreement, both parties have the option to conclude this same sort of protocol agreement with any other party or parties; and be it further

Resolved, That both parties retain the right to terminate this agreement at any time with advance notice; and be it further

Resolved, That both parties agree to each appoint an appropriate individual from their respective governments to facilitate cooperation; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature warmly welcomes and engages the several Osaka delegations, public and private, coming to the State Capitol this year, and seeks to lay further foundations for this new relationship between Osaka and California; and be it further

Resolved, That the State of California seek to develop a much more extensive involvement, both public and private, in the Government-Business Opportunities Conference (G-BOC) that is held each fall in Osaka; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly is directed to transmit a copy of this resolution to the Governor, the Osaka Prefectural Government, and to the chambers of commerce and manufacturers associations of California and the Osaka Prefecture.

Office Address

Staff