Taiwan, China in stalemate over ECFA terms: premier

“We are stuck on some items as certain Taiwanese industries will lose their competitiveness without tariff reductions but some Chinese industries are concerned about the impact,” Wu Den-yih said in a statement.

Wu's statement was issued on the eve of the third round of talks on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), to be held in Beijing Sunday.

“We would rather sign a good ECFA than an early one,” Wu said, despite his government's pledge to conclude the deal in June.

“The government is not certain if it can make a breakthrough in the shortest time... It depends on whether we can overcome the points we are stuck on.”

Last month Taiwan's Vice-Economic Minister Lin Sheng-chung indicated that the pact's June deadline might missed, saying that “we would rather postpone it should the two sides find the results of the negotiations unacceptable.”

The pact is expected to include a list of industries that will benefit from preferential tariffs, as well as measures to protect intellectual property rights, according to Taipei officials.

But opponents say stronger competition from China will cost jobs and that the accord will make the island more dependent on the mainland.

Taiwan and China have been governed separately since a civil war in 1949, and Beijing considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email