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Civic groups invite Ma to open debate on
ECFA
SIGN OF INCOMPETENCE?: Neither the president nor Premier
Wu Den-yih have responded to an invitation to clear up ‘misconceptions’ on the
possible trade pact
By Jenny W. Hsu
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Jan 22, 2010, Page 3
Several pan-green civic groups yesterday challenged President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)
and other government officials to an open debate tomorrow on the topic of a
government-proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China.
The government has urged the public not to oppose the planned trade deal before
the details have been disclosed, “but this is ridiculous because opposing
something we don’t know is our way of protesting against tyranny,” Taiwan
Society director Janice Chen (陳昭姿) told a press conference yesterday.
A protest against the government’s attitude on an ECFA is scheduled to be held
tomorrow at 1pm on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office.
Organizers said protesters would voice their concerns in a peaceful manner.
Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy secretary-general Chen Yu-hsin
(陳雨鑫) said he suspected the government would proceed to sign an ECFA with
Beijing, with or without public consent — a repeat of what the Ma administration
did when it signed a protocol with Washington on US beef imports.
“The stage has been set and the invitation has been issued. We are urging Ma not
to be afraid to face public scrutiny,” Janice Chen said.
The Taiwan Society said several economic experts would also be at the event to
elaborate the negative impacts an ECFA would have on Taiwan.
The invitation to Ma was sent to Presidential Office personnel. As of press
time, the president had not responded. Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and the Minister
of Economic Affairs Shih Mao-lin (施茂林) were also invited, but have not
responded.
Chen said policy makers had the obligation to explain to the public important
agreements, adding that their unwillingness to face the public was a sign of
incompetence.
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