STAND. COM. REP. NO. 870-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.C.R. No. 23

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Legislative Management and International Affairs, to which were referred H.C.R. No. 23 entitled:

"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,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Governor to take all necessary actions to establish a sister-state affiliation with the Province of Thua Thien-Hue in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Your Committees find that the historical relationship between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam provides a compelling reason to promote international friendship and mutual understanding that will serve the common interests of both countries to achieve lasting peace and prosperity. A state-province relationship between Hawaii 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.

In addition, your Committees further find that the Mayor of Hue City, Chairman Nguyen Van Me, met with Mayor Jeremy Harris in 1995 to initiate the process that culminated in the signing of the Sister-City Agreement between Honolulu and Hue City in 2000. Your Committees also find that:

(1) Hue City also signed a Sister-City Agreement with New Haven, Connecticut in 1995;

(2) Ho Chi Minh City and San Francisco, California have a Sister-City relationship;

(3) Hai Phong and Seattle, Washington have a Sister-City relationship;

(4) Vung Tau Ba Ria City and Newport Beach, California have a Sister-City relationship; and

(5) DaNang and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are considering establishing a Sister-City relationship.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Legislative Management and International Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 23 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Legislative Management and International Affairs,

 

____________________________

HELÉNE H. HALE, Chair

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MICHAEL Y. MAGAOAY, Chair