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DPP warns KMT on
service pact
By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
Things would get “bloody” if the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus insists
on voting on the controversial service trade agreement between Taiwan and China
as a package rather than clause-by-clause in the upcoming extra legislative
session, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus said yesterday.
Led by caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), DPP lawmakers warned their KMT
counterparts against putting the service trade pact to a vote in the extra
session, scheduled to begin on July 29, as a package, which they said would go
against public opinion that the pact be reviewed and voted clause-by-clause.
“If they insist on a package vote, I guarantee you there would be physical
confrontation because we will not give an inch on our position. It would
definitely be bloody,” Ker said.
Ker also threatened to withdraw from all party negotiations.
In the face of public outrage and concern over the pact, which would open dozens
of service sectors to Chinese investment, the Legislative Yuan passed a
resolution during its first extra session to monitor and vote on the agreement
clause-by-clause.
However, the Executive Yuan has argued that the move, especially if the content
of the pact is altered, would violate international practices and jeopardize
Taiwan’s credibility.
Rejecting the administration’s claims, Ker cited changes made to the copyright
agreement in 1993 and the mutual legal assistance agreement in 2002 between
Taiwan and the US as examples. He added that the DPP wanted the government to
re-negotiate the pact with Beijing.
DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) accused the Executive Yuan of disrespecting
the legislature for saying that it would send the agreement to the legislature
“for reference,” not for review.
Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡), chief secretary of the DPP caucus, said President Ma Ying-jeou
(馬英九) should be held accountable for his unconstitutional act of “kidnapping the
Executive Yuan and intimidating the legislature.”
“Last I checked, Taiwan was still a constitutional republic, not a monarchy,” Wu
said.
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