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President says ECFA won’t bring ‘one
China market’
‘BE MORE RATIONAL’: The KMT spokesperson said he respected the opposition’s
right to protest, but added that it should help the government oversee the pact
By Ko Shu-ling
STAFF REPORTER
Sunday, Jun 27, 2010, Page 3
Former president Lee Teng-hui, front center,
Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen, front left, and Taiwan
Solidarity Union Chairman Huang Kun-huei lead protesters on a march through the
streets of Taipei yesterday.
PHOTO: CNA
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday promised that an economic cooperation
framework agreement (ECFA) Taipei plans to sign with Beijing on Tuesday would
not lead to a “one China market.”
Ma said he respected the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) decision to hold a
demonstration calling for a referendum on an ECFA yesterday because holding
parades and assemblies was a right guaranteed by the Constitution.
As the theme of the opposition-led protest was “Oppose a one China market, hold
a referendum,” Ma said the planned pact would not lead to a “one China market.”
However, the president did not elaborate.
Ma made the remarks in Kaohsiung County yesterday morning while attending a
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Jiasian Bridge (甲仙大橋), which collapsed during
Typhoon Sinlaku in 2008.
Ma said his administration would not dodge legislative oversight, adding that
the proposed accord would be sent to the Executive Yuan for approval on July 1
before proceeding to the legislature.
Instead of blindly opposing the trade deal, Ma said, he urged the DPP to jointly
oversee the legislative process.
Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) yesterday
said his party respected freedom of speech, but added that opposition parties
should supervise the government in a more rational manner rather than
categorically reject an ECFA.
Su said the public could clearly see the commercial advantages that an “early
harvest” list would bring, while the DPP’s appeal against it was vague and
flimsy.
“We’re not sure whether they are against an ECFA entirely or just part of it,”
he said. “We don’t even know what kind of questions they want to ask in the
referendum. With so much ambiguity, how do they expect the public to come out
and support them?”
With the five special municipality elections to be held in November, Su said his
party would face ECFA-related issues head-on and beef up a promotional campaign
to advertise the benefits the trade pact would have on Taiwan’s industries and
on the balance of regional development.
The Presidential Office will also join the promotional campaign, Presidential
Office Spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said. Lo said that Ma, after the deal is
signed next week, would reveal his vision for the country’s global economic
strategy in the “post-ECFA” era.
The plan would serve as the blueprint for the “golden decade” he envisioned, Lo
said, adding that it would cover business transformation, attracting foreign
investment and assisting disadvantaged industries in coping with the impact of
the trade deal.
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