Council needs common ground

What can a 120-person council, consisting of one-third politicians, and focusing on economics hope to achieve? If the politicians have any say, it will be support for their own political agenda.

The yet-to-be formed cross-party economic advisory council (經發會) -- Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) brainchild to bring together academics, business people and politicians of all colors -- is expected to seek a consensus on the economic headaches currently facing the nation.

But if the last week of topics arising from a recent steering committee meeting is any indication, finding common ground may prove to be a difficult task.

First, the points of view of each major political party are as varied as the issues themselves.

For example, the People First Party has proposed 10 issues it deems "urgent," with lowering the unemployment rate at the top of its list.

Meanwhile, the KMT has suggested that the cross-strait issue should be the top priority for the council. The New Party, on the other hand, asked for deregulation of Chinese investments in Taiwan.

As for the ruling party, the DPP has not yet proposed any specific direction, perhaps fearing the council be called a rubber stamp body for DPP policy proposals.

Politicians aside, business leaders too have their own agendas urging that tax-cuts, relaxed bank lending policies and lower rents in industrial zones should be the focus of the council. So how will council members decide what issues to tackle first?

According to the preliminary resolution of the council's preparatory meeting held last Sunday, council conclusions with a broad consensus of approval would be made a policy priority by the Executive Yuan, Chiou I-jen (邱義仁), Cabinet Secretary-General said recently. Chiou said earlier this week that other methods including voting could be used and would require further discussion in the next few council meetings.

For the general public, the council is a positive sign that the administration wants to improve the nation's economic woes. According to the latest poll made by the Chinese National Federation of Industries (全國工業總會), as high as 74 percent in general public expects that the council could offer at least some benefit to the current economic situation.

One of the most important issue said to be on the council agenda is whether the "no haste, be patient" (戒急用忍) policy should be abolished. One pundit who is a council steering committee member said the issue on the three-links (三通) is not a solution for the current economic mess.

"Opening up the three-links is not enough to solve Taiwan's economic problems," said Norman Yin (殷乃平), a banking professor at National Taiwan University and representative of the PFP in the advisory council.

"Regardless of the trade policy deregulation, investments across the Strait is already far beyond the scope of political intervention."

According to Yin, it's not about whether to adopt a three-links plan or not, but how to retain Taiwan's sovereignty with the commercial sector becoming ever more dependent on the enemy -- China.

"The issue is not whether to deregulate or not, it's a question of whether Taiwan will be eaten alive by China," Yin said.

Another market watcher said the advisory council may offer the president a chance to promote issues his party normally avoids.

"The `one-China' issue is a forbidden zone for the DPP," said Dicky Dai (戴震), a senior market commentator.