Premier says it is too early to predict local SARS impact

Premier Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday that the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is still developing, and it is very difficult to estimate the extent of its impact on Taiwan's economic growth.

The premier was responding to questions by Legislator Chu Fong-chi (朱鳳芝) of the opposition Kuomintang and Legislator Pang Chien-kuo (龐建國) of the opposition People First Party who asked about the impact of the US-led military campaign against Iraq and the potentially deadly atypical pneumonia on Taiwan's economic growth.

Yu reaffirmed that if the war ends within six weeks, then the impact on Taiwan's economy will be limited.

He said that the outbreak of SARS has dealt a heavy blow to the service and tourism sectors and if the disease goes unchecked for one to two months, then economic growth could fall by between 0.03 percent and 0.1 percent. But as the outbreak of the disease is still developing, it is difficult to make predictions, Yu said.