ECFA pact taking shape

Tang Wei, head of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs under China's Ministry of Commerce and leader of the Chinese delegation, also said that it is impossible to cover all issues during the two days as both sides are aiming to expedite the negotiating process for some substantial outcomes.

Tang expressed his view that the ECFA is “neither a panacea nor a curse.”

Noting that the ECFA is an economic accord with special cross-Taiwan Strait characteristics, Tang said the deal should be evaluated in an objective manner.

He further said the Chinese delegation will be discussing the accord's “early harvest” programs based on the principles of “swiftness, dealing with easy issues before contentious ones, and limiting the scope of the “early harvest” lists so that a consensus can be reached as early as possible.

“The trade deal will contribute to mutual market opening, boost cross-strait trade in goods and services, and facilitate the institutionalization of cross-strait economic cooperation,” Tang said.

Transparency

President Ma Ying-jeou reaffirmed his promise to give full report to the public about the second round of talks to dispel possible misconceptions or misunderstandings.

A spokesman of the ruling Kuomintang, which Ma concurrently serves as chairman, said Ma instructed officials taking part of the talks and those of other government agencies to uphold the principle of transparency by making full disclosure of the talks and terms to be reached.

Meanwhile, Vice President Vincent Siew reemphasized his belief that the signing of a framework agreement on trade with China will have no adverse effects in the short term but will definitely have many benefits in the long term.

Siew said negotiations on the pact have been conducted based on the principle of seeking the biggest gains and minimizing potential adverse effects.

“Under the circumstances, the trade pact will have no adverse effects in the short term. But in the longer term, it will be beneficial to Taiwan's economy and the transformation and upgrading of its industrial base,” he added.

Siew made the remarks at the opening ceremony of Sourcing Taiwan 2010, an event sponsored by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) that has attracted the participation of 43 countries.

The government has projected that the trade pact will be signed in June, but critics, led by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, have opposed it over concerns that it will make Taiwan too economically dependent on China and lead to job losses in certain sectors.

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