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First ECFA debate to be held tomorrow
PRELUDE: The TV debate, in which an ECFA negotiator will
square off against ex-DPP legislators, is a lead-up to a showdown between the
president and the DPP chairperson
By Mo Yan-chih
STAFF REPORTER, WITH CNA
Sunday, Apr 04, 2010, Page 1
The first debate on a proposed Taiwan-China economic cooperation framework
agreement (ECFA) will be televised tomorrow by a local cable TV station.
Bureau of Foreign Trade Director-General Huang Chih-peng (黃志鵬) said that to his
knowledge, he would team up with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai
Shyh-bao (賴士葆) against former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators
Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) and Julian Kuo (郭正亮) in the debate to be broadcast by
CtiTV.
“The debate scheduled for Monday is a prelude to the anticipated debate on an
ECFA between President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen
(蔡英文),” Huang said.
Huang was Taiwan’s chief negotiator in the second round of cross-strait
negotiations on an ECFA, which wrapped up on Thursday.
Although no major breakthrough was made on the pact’s “early harvest” lists — a
list of items that would immediately benefit from tariff reductions or
exemptions — the two sides forged common ground on the text of the planned ECFA,
as well as on regulations covering the labeling of product origins.
Delegates from the two sides promised they would continue negotiations in the
next round of talks in China next month or in June, and hoped an ECFA could be
signed by that time.
The DPP is strongly opposed to the pact, fearing that an influx of cheap Chinese
products could hurt local companies and undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Ma has begun a series of promotional events for the ECFA, promising to
prioritize the interests of Taiwanese when signing the economic pact.
Ma yesterday attended a seminar in Yunlin County to explain ECFA-related issues
to farmers. Yunlin is an agricultural-based county where the DPP enjoys
widespread support.
“The government is dedicated to pushing for the development of Taiwan’s economy,
while making the interests of Taiwanese as our priority,” Ma said.
Ma met representatives from the towel and bedding industries in Yunlin and
discussed the government’s plan to sign an ECFA with China.
Ma said an economic pact was vital to Taiwan’s economy, as other countries in
Asia were joining regional economic organizations or signing free-trade
agreements, and Taiwan would be marginalized in the wave of economic integration
if it did not sign an ECFA with China.
He also reiterated his promise to protect traditional industries.
A second promotional event for the ECFA will be led by Ma in Kaohsiung on April
10.
The second round of ECFA talks concluded on Thursday at Ta Shee Resort in
Taoyuan County. The negotiations did not finalize the product items on the
“early harvest” list, which are expected to form the backbone of the proposed
deal, but Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) expressed
optimism about the prospects for signing the trade pact with China in June, as
planned.
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