President makes pitch for FTAs at summit

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that the government should enhance efforts to normalize cross-strait trade relations and should also seek free-trade agreements with the nation's major trading partners.

"The Executive Yuan should ... complete its preparation for opening direct transportation [between Taiwan and China], so Taiwan can put the policy into practice immediately after both sides have completed negotiations," Chen said at the conclusion of a two-day meeting of top-level government officials and policymakers.

The Ta Shee meeting (大溪會議) gathered together policymakers from the National Security Council (NSC), the Cabinet and the DPP headquarters at the Ta Shee Resort in Taoyuan County.

Addressing the meeting's closing ceremony, Chen summarized the meeting's conclusions in 10 major points, adding that he will convene similar summits periodically to discuss the nation's objectives and strategies. Chen stressed that the nation's government elite should consider Taiwan's development from an economic perspective and discuss how to assist the country's prosperity, consolidate its democracy and improve its security.

"To carry out the economic strategy of `Enhancing Taiwan's development, mapping the global market' (深耕台灣、全球佈局), all economic and diplomatic departments within the government should expedite the signing of free-trade agreements with our trade allies, including the US, Japan and ASEAN countries," Chen said.

He also said the DPP should establish a legislative alliance as soon as possible that would dedicate itself to developing the country's economy.

Secretary-General of the NSC Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) said the meeting's mission was to draw up an overall strategy for policymaking.

"The basic consensus of all members is that the domestic political situation must be stabilized," Chiou told reporters after ending first day's meetings on Saturday night. "The president, therefore, called on all members to realize his pledge of forming a majority in the Legislative Yuan."

He also seemed to suggest that a majority alliance would be formed before the next session begins in September, saying the alliance would push for legislation that would boost the economy as a means of forging cooperation with the opposition.