ECFA may be inked in 2010: ARATS official

Wang, who arrived in Taipei on Sunday as the leader of a Chinese cultural and education delegation, made the remarks in response to questions from reporters when touring the National Palace Museum.

Wang said no problem exists concerning which side will be in the advantageous position after signing the ECFA, because the pact will be mutually beneficial to both sides. He said both sides of the Strait can exchange tourism promotion offices first, and then such a practice can be applied to other sectors such as banking.

The ARATS official continued that more and more mainland Chinese tourists will visit Taiwan. Since Taiwan opened its tourist market to mainland Chinese people in July 2008, the number of Chinese people visiting the island had reached 600,000 as of the end of September, a goal which was originally slated to be accomplished by the end of the year. Such a figure is expected to amount to 800,000 to 900,000 by the end of the year, Wang said. Meanwhile, in an interview with the Central News Agency, Wang also noted that both sides can positively create favorable conditions for tackling political problems across the Taiwan Strait, adding that both sides boast the same cultural background, the same language and the same sense of value, and can expand exchanges in areas that are easier to proceed than politics.

In related news, Vice Economic Minister Lin Sheng-chung said yesterday that the upcoming fourth round of talks between Chairman P.K. Chiang of the Straits Exchange Foundation and Chairman Chen Yunlin of China's ARATS in the central city of Taichung in late December would be a good time to kick off official talks on the signing of the ECFA.

If talks fare smoothly, Lin continued, the ECFA pact is likely to be signed next spring. Lin made the remarks at an interpellation session of the Legislative Yuan. But he also told lawmakers that both sides have yet to touch on their titles to be used for the signing of the ECFA during the unofficial negotiations on the issue.

It was reported that Taiwan may sign the ECFA pact under the name of “Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu Independent Territories,” which is Taiwan's official membership title in the World Trade Organization.

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