Taiwan will proceed'gradually' with talks

Wang made the remarks in response to the statement issued by Wang Yi, director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, that China is willing to negotiate on the signing of the ECFA before the end of the year. Wang Yi made the statement when speaking at the opening ceremony of a seminar on cross-strait relations held yesterday in Chengdu of Sichuan Province, China. Meanwhile, Liu Der-hsun, vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, said yesterday that there is no timetable for the negotiation and signing of the ECFA, adding the actual progress will depend on the unofficial exchange of views between the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and its Chinese counterpart and the substantive content of common studies on the ECFA issue.

Liu said that both sides have completed their respective studies on the feasibility of the ECFA signing, but representatives of the MOEA are exchanging views with their Chinese counterparts based on the studies, and are also engaged in common research of the issue. “These jobs are yet to be finished, and therefore no timetable is set for the negotiations and signing of the ECFA,” Liu said.

Also yesterday, Ma Shao-chang, deputy secretary general of the SEF, said that the SEF will proceed with the talks on the ECFA issue in accordance with government authorization and preparations. SEF chairman P. K. Chiang told reporters recently that during the upcoming fourth meeting with his counterpart Chairman Chen Yunlin in Taichung, in December, both sides will determine the schedules for the talks on ECFA, adding that the two sides may officially ink the ECFA during their fifth meeting in the first half of 2010.

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