's efforts in promoting people-to-people exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan, adding that the inclusion of Taiwan on the VWP would be beneficial for both countries. The VWP will not only benefit Taiwan passport holders, it will also generate an estimated US$1.8 billion worth of tourism revenues and much-needed job opportunities inside the U.S., according to the letter. The congressmen also acknowledged Obama">Obama's efforts in sending senior officials to Taiwan, including Rajiv Shah, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and Daniel Poneman, the deputy secretary of energy, who is currently visiting Taiwan. "If granted, visa-waiver treatment will be a strong indication of how much we value our relationship with Taiwan, which was America's ninth-largest trading partner in 2010," it added. It added that "Taiwan and the U.S. share the same values of democracy and freedom" and praised President Ma Ying-jeou's efforts to reduce tensions across the Taiwan Strait. The Democrats who backed this initiative included Laura Richardson, Madeleine Bordallo, Adam Schiff and Edolphus Towns. (By Tony Liao and Jamie Wang)
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